FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Bahrain

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the government of Bahrain about the treatment of the democracy movement in that country; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: I discussed the importance of political reform with the Bahraini authorities during my visit to Bahrain in June for the UK-Bahrain Joint Working Group. We continue to believe that the only way to promote peace and stability in Bahrain and address the legitimate aspirations of all Bahrainis is through dialogue leading to an inclusive political settlement.

Burma

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he considers that the recent census in Burma meets international standards.

Hugo Swire: Reports from independent international observers of the census suggest that, with the exception of Rakhine State and parts of Kachin State, the enumeration process appears to have largely been carried out effectively. Regarding the process in Rakhine and Kachin, I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Belfast East (Naomi Long) on 26 June, Official Report, column 255W. We continue to monitor the process closely.

Burma

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what commitments the government of Burma has made to implement the declaration on preventing sexual violence in conflict.

Hugo Swire: The Burmese Government's endorsement of the Declaration of Commitment and attendance at the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict in June 2014, is an important signal of commitment to tackling this serious issue. However, we are absolutely clear that this is just one step towards that goal. We are already lobbying the Burmese Government to follow up with concrete action to address sexual violence, including strengthening legislation and improving access to justice for survivors. I urged the Burmese Government to follow the endorsement with a quick and credible action plan that involved the military when I met Burmese Deputy Foreign Minister U Thant Kyaw on 13 June.

Diego Garcia

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Government Department or Office keeps a list of flights which passed through Diego Garcia from January 2002 to January 2009.

Mark Simmonds: Records on flight departures and arrivals on Diego Garcia are held by the British Indian Ocean Territory immigration authorities. Daily occurrence logs, which record the flights landing and taking off, cover the period since 2003. Though there are some limited records from 2002, I understand they are incomplete due to water damage.

EU Working Groups

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the value for public money of the European Commission Work Programme 2014.

David Lidington: The Government submitted an Explanatory Memorandum on the Commission Work Programme 2014 to Parliament on 15 November 2013. This outlined the most significant initiatives in the Work Programme and the Government’s initial views on them.
	The financial implications of initiatives outlined in the Work Programme will be contained in the Explanatory Memoranda of individual proposals, which will be deposited for scrutiny in the usual way.
	The annual Commission Work Programme provides a useful, early opportunity for Parliament to scrutinise and debate upcoming EU legislative and non-legislative proposals.

Iraq and Syria

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the source of supply of the arms being used by Jihadi groups fighting in (a) Syria and (b) Iraq.

Hugh Robertson: We believe terrorist groups are likely to have acquired weapons and ammunition from stockpiles captured in fighting with Assad's regime in Syria, and in recent clashes with the Iraqi Security Forces. During his recent visit to Iraq, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) made a statement in which he highlighted the need to intensify international efforts to stem the flow of weapons and fighters to extremist groups.

Iraq: Kurds

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Departtment has has with Iraqi Kurds on moves to give them autonomy.

Hugh Robertson: During his visit to Iraq in late June 2014, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), met the President of the Kurdistan Region, Massoud Barzani, Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani and other key political figures. These meetings included discussion of the status of the Kurdistan Region. The Kurdistan Region has significant autonomy within the Republic of Iraq.

Iraq: Kurds

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the reaction of the government of (a) Iran and (b) Turkey to the announcement of the President of Kurdistan that he intends to hold a referendum on independence of the region of Kurdistan from Iraq.

Hugh Robertson: We are aware of reports that the President of the Kurdistan Region has expressed an intention to hold a referendum on independence for the Kurdistan Region. It is for the people of Iraq to determine the shape of Iraq's future. We continue to urge all Iraqi leaders to work together to tackle the challenges Iraq faces, particularly the threat posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

Passports

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK emergency travel documents have been issued to (a) British nationals, (b) non-British Commonwealth citizens and (c) non-British EU citizens in each year since 2010.

Mark Simmonds: Between 1 January 2010 and 31 May 2014 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued 115,239 Emergency Travel Documents (ETDs). The breakdown by year is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
			 2010 14,367 
			 2011 27,467 
			 2012 28,880 
			 2013 30,006 
			 2014 (to 31 May) 14,609 
		
	
	A further breakdown of this information according to nationality is not available and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

Ukraine

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss the coverage of the situation in eastern Ukraine by the BBC Russian Service with that Service; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: The BBC World Service is independent and decides on its own coverage.

USA

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 18 June 2014, Official Report, column 641W, on the USA, if his Department will update the 1946 UK-USA agreement to take better account of developments in technology since 1946 and ensure that data shared under the agreement is not used for targeted killing by the US outside Afghanistan. [R]

Hugh Robertson: It is a long standing policy not to comment on intelligence matters. I would reiterate to the hon. Member that all of the UK’s intelligence sharing with the US is undertaken within a robust legal framework, and is subject to rigorous ministerial, parliamentary and judicial oversight.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons question 198304, tabled by the hon. Member for Chichester on 9 May 2014 was not answered by his Department.

David Lidington: My hon. Friend tabled question 198304 as a named day question for answer on 19 June. This was after Prorogation so the question fell and was unable to be answered.

Zimbabwe

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the answer of 29 October 2013, Official Report, column 411W, on Zimbabwe: pension payments, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that British nationals in Zimbabwe receive their pensions.

Mark Simmonds: We continue to pursue a resolution to this issue. I have personally written to both Finance Minister Chinamasa and the responsible Minister for Pensions, Minister Goche. I also raised the issue during a meeting with the Zimbabwean ambassador in London on 30 June. We are in regular contact with the Director of Pensions, with whom officials last met on 12 June. Our ambassador regularly raises the issue with interlocutors, including most recently on 4 June with the Finance Minister Chinamasa. She also wrote to the Zimbabwe Civil Service Commission in December 2013; we await a response. We remain in regular contact with the interested parties, including the Overseas Service Pensioners Association (OSPA) and the Federal Pensioners Association in Harare.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Broadcasting: Northern Ireland

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with the BBC Trust on increasing coverage of life in Northern Ireland across the BBC national television and radio network.

Edward Vaizey: No such discussions have recently taken place. Under the terms of the BBC's Charter and Agreement, the BBC is operationally and editorially independent of Government and there is no provision for the Government to intervene in the Corporation's day-to-day operations, including programme content.

Broadcasting: Northern Ireland

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of BBC (a) television and (b) radio programming was made in Northern Ireland in each year since 2010.

Edward Vaizey: The proportions of the BBC's TV programming and radio output in Northern Ireland are published in the BBC's annual accounts which are available at:
	http://www.bbc.co.uk/foi/publication_scheme/classes/what_how_priorities/annual_reports_accounts.shtml

Flags

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to reduce bureaucratic obstacles to the flying of flags in the UK.

Edward Vaizey: DCMS plays no role in setting the protocols that determine when, where or which flags are flown in the United Kingdom. The Department for Communities and Local Government undertook a numbers of measures to deregulate flag flying in England in 2012. The flag flying policy in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for the specific devolved Administrations themselves.

Members: Correspondence

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will estimate the total number of ministerial replies from his Department to hon. Members in a parliamentary session; and what proportion of such replies are sent (a) by letter and (b) by email.

Helen Grant: In the last parliamentary session (2013-14) the number of replies to Members of Parliament stood at 5,860. As a rule the Department sends all responses by e-mail unless specifically requested otherwise by the Member of Parliament. We do not keep separate records of how many were sent by post compared to e-mail.

Mobile Phones

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether he plans to introduce proposals for regulations or guidance to reduce the cost of the use of British mobile telephones roaming outside of the EU.

Edward Vaizey: The provider must send you an alert when you reach 80% and then 100% of the agreed data roaming limit. Operators must stop charging for data at the 100% point, unless you agree to continue to use data.
	Ofcom provides advice on using telephones abroad, including in countries outside the European Union. See:
	http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/2013/03/check-your-phone-before-you-roam/
	and
	http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/2013/07/using-your-smartphone-or-tablet-abroad/
	This includes the advice to talk to your UK provider before you travel—it may offer special packages for your destination.

SCOTLAND

Food Banks

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland with reference to the statement of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, giving evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Welfare Reform Committee on 26 June 2014, that ‘I want an analysis of the use of foodbanks that everybody can subscribe to’, whether his Department (a) is producing, (b) has commissioned or (c) plans to produce or commission any new research into the use of foodbanks in Scotland.

David Mundell: My evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Welfare Reform Committee on the 26 June highlighted the underlying complexity to the use of foodbanks and my desire to ensure that any further analysis be done in a way that would ensure widespread support.
	The Government has already commissioned a report on food security by Warwick university, which was published in February 2014.
	The Government has no immediate plans to produce or commission further research, but will keep this under review.

Members: Correspondence

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 
	(1)  if he will estimate the total number of ministerial replies from his Department to hon. Members in a parliamentary session; and what proportion of such replies are sent (a) by letter and (b) by email;
	(2)  what plans his Department has to increase the number of replies sent electronically to letters from hon. Members.

Alistair Carmichael: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, the right hon. Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), on 7 July 2014, Official Report, columns 5-6W.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Computer Software

Thomas Docherty: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to his answer of 24 June 2014, Official Report, column 134W, on computer software, what feedback has been received on the mechanics of the implementation of Microsoft 365 from (a) members of the Administration Committee and (b) other hon. Members.

John Thurso: In May, parliamentary ICT (PICT) piloted migrating Members’ mailboxes to Microsoft 365. In this Members’ pilot, PICT migrated 82 mailboxes, including the mailboxes of 10 hon. Members, their staff and 12 Members of the House of Lords. One of the hon. Members involved in this pilot is a Member of the Administration Committee. PICT requested feedback on the migrations in an anonymous survey. Four people in the pilot survey reported a problem with the migration of their e-mail. Because the survey was anonymous, it is not possible to say who responded to the survey.
	A paper on the implementation of Microsoft 365, which included feedback from the survey, was presented to the Administration Committee for their meeting on 16 June. A member of the committee expressed serious concern that Office 365 was not well received by users. The chair of the committee is also aware of written complaints from three other hon. Members about recent changes.
	PICT began the migrations for other hon. Members and their staff on 22 June. By 4 July, over 1,800 mailboxes assigned to hon. Members and their staff had been migrated.
	The most common cause of a call to the service desk after the mailbox migration has been to request help to follow the process for logging into the new mail box for the first time. The second most common problem relates to mobile devices. Parliamentary e-mail stops working on mobile devices until they are reconfigured to point to the new server after the migration. BlackBerry devices need to be physically reconfigured by PICT, and this process can take over an hour. Furthermore, it takes longer for personal BlackBerry devices than for BlackBerrys issued by PICT. In addition, new security features have made it difficult to synchronise some android devices with mailboxes.
	For those having a problem with their e-mail, it is of course disruptive, and PICT have dedicated specialists on hand to assist.

Computer Software

Thomas Docherty: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to his answer of 24 June 2014, Official Report, column 134W, on computer software, how many calls the PICT service desk has received from hon. Members and their staff relating to problems resulting from the migration of their mailboxes to Microsoft 365.

John Thurso: Following a pilot, PICT began the migration of the mailboxes of hon. Members and their staff on 22 June. By 4 July over 1,800 mailboxes assigned to hon. Members and their staff had been migrated.
	In the period from 22 June to 12:00 on 4 July, PICT logged 128 cases from hon. Members and their staff which were directly related to problems resulting from the migration of their mailboxes to Microsoft 365. 112 of those cases are now closed. During the same period, PICT logged 149 other cases from hon. Members and their staff requesting advice or help which were directly related to other aspects of the migrations to Microsoft 365.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Bovine Tuberculosis

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many veterinary surgeons are qualified to undertake bovine tuberculosis testing in each NUTS-1 region of England.

George Eustice: The number of official veterinarians qualified to undertake TB skin tests are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number 
			 Midlands 516 
			 North 535 
			 South East 325 
			 South West 686 
			 Wales 468 
			 Scotland 438 
			 Total 2,968 
			 Practices 607 
		
	
	NUTS 1 refers to the old local government regions. We do not record data on this basis.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the cost of introducing annual testing for bovine tuberculosis.

George Eustice: In 2012 the Animal Health and Welfare Board for England considered options for changes to the herd testing programme for bovine tuberculosis including the recommended county-based approach deployed from 2013. The additional cost to government of introducing annual herd testing in England was estimated at £12.8 million for 19,600 additional herd tests per year. The average cost of a routine bovine tuberculosis herd test to a farmer was estimated at £350 in 2011-12.

Dairy Farming

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many complaints his Department has received on the Dairy Code of Conduct.

George Eustice: Since its launch in October 2012, the Dairy Code of Conduct has helped to improve contractual relationships between farmers and their milk buyers. The code was developed by the industry and now covers more than 85% of domestic milk production. I regularly discuss the code with industry.
	I am aware of some concerns that exist about the notice periods for farmers where there are any price changes and how these apply to dairy co-operatives, I have emphasised that any difficulties or suggestions for improving the code should be raised with the right hon. Alex Fergusson, MSP who is currently leading an independent review process.

Food Supply Networks Review

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects the Elliot Report on food crime to be published; and if he will make a statement.

George Eustice: The Elliott Report is due to be published shortly.

Forests: Christchurch

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 24 June 2014, Official Report, column 137W, on forests: Christchurch, how many areas of woodland and heathland in Hurn Forest will be affected by the cable route; and what steps have been taken to consult local people about the environmental effect.

Dan Rogerson: An application for the proposed development has been made under the Planning Act 2008 and members of the public have had an opportunity to register as interested parties in the examination process. The application documents are published on the Planning Portal website. The applicant proposes that a cable corridor of 4,565 linear metres will be laid within the Hurn Forest.
	During construction a corridor up to a maximum of 40 metres would be required by the contractors to facilitate laying the cable; this equates to an area of 18.26 hectares. After construction, the land directly affected by the cable would be 20 metres wide (affecting 9.13 hectares). The Forestry Commission has worked with the developer to locate the proposed cable route adjacent to existing forest roads and tracks, reducing the impact on the actual forest area.
	Since 2012, the developers have undertaken public consultation prior to the submission of their application on the route of the cable and the potential impacts
	http://www.navitusbaywindpark.co.uk/consultation
	The examination process will include further opportunities for representations about the proposal, including the Environmental Statements submitted as part of the application.

Members: Correspondence

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  if he will estimate the total number of ministerial replies from his Department to hon. Members in a parliamentary session; and what proportion of such replies are sent (a) by letter and (b) by email;
	(2)  what plans his Department has to increase the number of replies sent electronically to letters from hon. Members.

Dan Rogerson: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, the right hon. Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), on 3 July 2014, Official Report, columns 5-6W.

Pesticides

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his policy is on implementing a ban on pesticide neonictinoids; and if he will make a statement.

Dan Rogerson: Decisions on the approval of pesticide active substances are made at European level. Last year, the European Union (EU) withdrew approval for the use of three neonicotinoids on a number of crops. The UK Government has implemented these restrictions on neonicotinoids.

Pets: Sales

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many complaints Trading Standards have received relating to the sale of unwell puppies in each of the last five years.

George Eustice: Details of the number of complaints that Trading Standards have received relating to the sale of sick puppies would rest with each local authority and are not held centrally.

Policy

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at what level his Department values the reduction of the risk of death per fatal casualty prevented; and if he will give an example of a policy intervention where this evaluation was made.

Dan Rogerson: I refer the right hon. Member to the reply given on 7 July 2014, Official Report, column 73W.
	An example of a policy intervention where the reduction of risk of death is valued is in the consultation stage impact assessment on whether to issue a ministerial direction for the preparation of reservoir flood plans, issued on 17 December 2009. This document has been placed in the House Library.

TREASURY

Business: Loans

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the level of bank lending to small and medium-sized businesses since May 2010.

Andrea Leadsom: The Government has introduced measures to improve both bank and non-bank lending to businesses, such as the Funding for Lending Scheme, the British Business Bank and the Appeals Process.
	Against this backdrop, gross lending to small and medium sized businesses in 2014 Q1 was almost 15% higher than in the same quarter a year earlier; and 32% of SMEs that have been through the Appeals Process have had their initial loan rejection overturned.

Children: Day Care

Lucy Powell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the proportion of households who will be eligible for tax-free childcare who currently spend more than (a) £7,000, (b) £8,000, (c) £9,000 and (d) £10,000 on childcare.

Andrea Leadsom: Information on the number of families eligible for tax-free childcare and the number of families who will benefit from the increase of the £6,000 cap on costs per child to £10,000 can be found in Annex B of Delivering Tax-Free Childcare: the Government’s response to the consultation on design and operation:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/293084/PU1607_Tax_free_Childcare_response.pdf
	Breakdowns of the proportion of families benefitting from the levels of support requested are not available.

Conditions of Employment

Pamela Nash: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many calls the pay and work rights helpline received in (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland in each of the last four years.

Jo Swinson: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	Calls to the pay and work rights helpline are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  2013/14 2012/13 2011/12 2010/11 
			 England 25,958 21,307 26,893 34,285 
			 Scotland 1,882 1,537 2,171 2,961 
			 Wales 1,249 1,075 1,400 1,793 
			 Northern Ireland 453 390 505 707 
			 Unknown 14,019 17,698 17,466 11,737 
			 Total 43,561 42,007 48,435 51,483 
		
	
	The ‘unknown’ figure refers to callers who either did not wish to say where they were calling from, or rang off before they could be asked.

Dover Priory Station

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer of 8 April 2014, Official Report, column 225W, on Dover Priory Station, for what reasons HM Revenue and Customs has not made an assessment of the economic benefits that new parking facilities at Dover Priory Station would provide to the local area.

David Gauke: As explained in my previous reply on 16 June 2014, Official Report, column 394W, HM Revenue and Customs occupies its site adjacent to Dover Priory Station under a PFI contract. Local development is a matter for local authorities and not HMRC.

Highways Agency

Richard Burden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 17 June 2014, Official Report, column 598, on the Highways Agency, whether his Department is discussing the potential extension of the provisions of section 41(3) of the VAT Act 194 to the proposed Strategic Highways Company.

David Gauke: The Treasury deals with requests from Government Departments relating to Section 41(3) of the VAT Act 1994. The Department for Transport has raised the issue of the new company being created to replace the Highways Agency and officials from both Departments are looking at this.

Hotels: VAT

Simon Kirby: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider reducing VAT on hotels to encourage tourism; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave on 11 February 2014, Official Report, columns 212-14WH.

Minimum Wage

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil enforcement actions HM Revenue and Customs has taken against employers over non-payment of the minimum wage in the last five years.

David Gauke: The Government takes the enforcement of national minimum wage (NMW) very seriously and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) review every complaint that is referred to them, investigating the complaint and, in addition, carrying out targeted enforcement where we identify a high risk of non-payment of NMW.
	The majority of employers identified as paying below the NMW will pay arrears on receipt of a formal Notice of Underpayment, i.e. civil enforcement action.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer on 6 May 2014, Official Report, column 110W, for the number of non-compliant employers for the period requested.

Minimum Wage

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria HM Revenue and Customs use to determine whether a case where an employer is paying one or more employees less than the minimum wage is pursued by the civil route or the criminal route.

David Gauke: The Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) is responsible for National Minimum Wage (NMW) policy, including the policy on compliance and enforcement. HM Revenue and Customs enforces the NMW Act on behalf of BIS.
	BIS have set out how the Government operates the civil and criminal enforcement of the NMW in a policy document headed ‘Policy on HM Revenue and Customs enforcement, prosecutions and naming employers who break national minimum wage law (March 2014)’. This document is available on-line at
	www.gov.uk/government/publications/enforcing-national-minimum-wage-law

National Insurance Fund

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the income to the National Insurance Fund would be if all people over the state retirement age paid contributions.

David Gauke: HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) currently estimate that abolishing the national insurance exemption for people of pensionable age in 2014-15 would raise around £950 million in NIC receipts.
	This figure is based on employee and self employed national insurance contributions (Classes 1, 2 and 4).
	The estimate is based on the latest available Survey of Personal Incomes (2011-12), which has been projected in line with Budget 2014 economic assumptions.
	The estimate also includes a behavioural adjustment to reflect changes in labour supply for this age group which are subject to some uncertainties.

Pension Funds

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an assessment of the effect of allegations of illegal manipulation of the WM/Reuters benchmark currency rates on private pension funds in the UK.

Andrea Leadsom: The Financial Conduct Authority is investigating allegations of misconduct in foreign exchange markets. The Government is clear that any attempted manipulation of foreign exchange markets is completely unacceptable and it is leading the reform agenda both internationally and within the EU to reform the governance of financial benchmarks. The Government has also launched a joint review by the Treasury, the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority into the way wholesale financial markets operate.
	However, it would be inappropriate for the Government to comment on any potential or ongoing investigations.

Public Sector: VAT

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps HM Revenue and Customs is taking to ensure that public sector bodies do not underpay VAT.

David Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) deploys its resources according to risk and has a continuous programme of work assuring tax compliance across a range of taxes, including VAT, in the public (and private) sector. Since 2008 there has been a dedicated operational unit responsible for compliance activity in the public sector, and they aim to treat the public sector in the same way as HMRC treats similar customers in the private sector.

Revenue and Customs: Irvine

Katy Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the reasons are for the proposed closure of Irvine Tax Office.

David Gauke: The spending review means HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will reduce in size to 52,000 full time equivalent (FTE) posts by 2016. Reduced staffing levels mean a reduced need for accommodation and HMRC has to consider where and how work will be done in the future.
	Irvine is one of 14 offices which do not feature in the longer term plans of any of HMRC’s lines of business and in November staff based at these locations were invited to apply for voluntary exits if they wished to leave the Department now. Those who accepted exits left on 30 April.
	On 5 June HMRC opened consultation on the possible closure date for 12 of these 14 offices. The proposed closure date for Irvine is December 2015. Consultation will last until 5 August and HMRC’s decision will be announced in September.
	HMRC’s longer term strategy will look to bring people together in larger sites, enabling the Department to work more flexibly and with improved cost effectiveness.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Sexual Offences: Armed Forces

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Attorney-General what recent discussions he has had with the director of the Services Prosecution Authority about its effectiveness in prosecuting rape and other sexual offences in the armed forces in the UK and overseas.

Oliver Heald: The Attorney-General and I meet regularly with the Director of Service Prosecutions and discuss casework issues at these meetings. This includes the prosecution of rape and other sexual offences.

Children: Abuse

Tom Watson: To ask the Attorney-General 
	(1)  if he will place in the Library a copy of each item of correspondence between his Department and (a) the Home Office and (b) Lord Brittan of Spennithorne in relation to child abuse in (a) 1984 and (b) 1985; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will place in the Library copies of papers from Lord Brittan of Spennithorne in relation to child abuse in 1983 and 1984 and which were referred to his Department by the Home Office; and if he will make a statement.

Dominic Grieve: Searches of records at the Attorney-General's Office have been conducted to try and determine what, if any, correspondence or files were passed to this Office in relation to these issues. We have so far found no trace of any material.

Consultants

Keith Vaz: To ask the Attorney-General what the cost to the public purse was of external consultants employed by (a) the Serious Fraud Office and (b) the Crown Prosecution Service in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011, (iii) 2012, (iv) 2013 and (v) 2014 to date.

Oliver Heald: The following table contains details on the expenditure on external consultants by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) during the past four complete financial years. Both organisations financial reporting systems are configured to provide information based on financial rather than calendar years.
	
		
			 External consultants expenditure 
			 £ 
			  CPS SFO 
			 2010-11 684,314 1,557,887 
			 2011-12 13,347 856,182 
			 2012-13 9,793 131,142 
			 2013-14 960 248,228 
			 1 The expenditure listed for 2012-13 was actually incurred in 2011-12 but not paid until the following year. 2 Subject to audit.

Crown Prosecution Service

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Attorney-General what progress the Crown Prosecution Service has made in reducing costs.

Dominic Grieve: In 2010-11, the baseline year for the current comprehensive spending review period, the Crown Prosecution Service’s (CPS) gross resource expenditure was £684,725,000.
	The Department is on target to meet its cost reduction plans through to 2015-16 and in 2013-14 the uncertified Annual Accounts report gross resource expenditure of £616,342,000, a reduction of £68,383,000, or 10%, in cash terms.

Forced Marriage: Prosecutions

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Attorney-General what steps the Crown Prosecution Service is taking to prosecute successfully the offence of forced marriage in (a) Northamptonshire and (b) England.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service issued Legal Guidance on the new offence of Forced Marriage in June 2014. The Legal Guidance applies nationally and all prosecutors in the CPS, including those based in Northamptonshire, will refer to it when reviewing forced marriage cases. The CPS is also developing a new e-learning module on forced marriage for all prosecutors and expects to launch the module in July 2014, in addition to developing a joint training package with the police which will be delivered across all of the 13 CPS areas this year.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Absent Voting

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, which wards, in which town, county and parliamentary constituency had a postal vote turnout greater than 90 per cent at the last set of local elections for which figures are available.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that the most recent turnout data it holds by ward/division is for the May 2013 county council elections in England and Anglesey, Wales. Postal voter turnout was not greater than 90% in any electoral ward/division at these elections.

Electoral Commission

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what recent assessment the Committee has made of the adequacy of the budget of the Electoral Commission for (a) advertising and (b) the functioning of the Commission.

Gary Streeter: Under paragraph 14 of schedule 1 to the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 the Committee is required to review the Electoral Commission’s estimates of resources and five-year corporate plan before they are laid before the House. In the course of the Committee’s scrutiny it is required to have regard to advice provided to it by HM Treasury and reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General as well as taking oral evidence from the Commission. The report from the C&AG has been published on the SCEC website:
	http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/procedure/NAO%20Electoral%20Commission%20Annual%20 VFM%20Report%202013-14.pdf.
	A Sub-Committee of SCEC was informally briefed on the Electoral Commission’s finances and plans by Peter Wardle, Chief Executive and Carolyn Hughes, Director of Finance and Corporate Services on 4 February and the full Committee took oral evidence on the Estimate in public from Jenny Watson, Chair of the Committee, and Carolyn Hughes on 2 April. A transcript of the evidence is available online at the Committee’s website:
	http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/speakers-electoral-commission/140402_SCEC_estimate.pdf!docid=2047751!.pdf
	On 1 May 2014 the Committee made a written statement confirming that it had agreed the Commission’s Estimate for 2014-15 without modification.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, which 50 local authorities had the largest decrease in electoral registration between December 2012 to March 2014; and which parliamentary constituencies cover such local authorities.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that the requested data is available here:
	
		
			 Name Total electorate December 2012 Total electorate February/March 2014 Change 
			 Leeds 561,340 537,163 -24,177 
			 Birmingham 755,932 735,689 -20,243 
			 Cornwall 422,912 409,639 -13,273 
			 Newham 205,772 192,589 -13,183 
			 Northampton 159,264 147,413 -11,851 
			 Shropshire 237,000 225,449 -11,551 
			 Barnet 245,136 233,881 -11,255 
			 Maidstone 120,295 111,038 -9,257 
			 Taunton Deane 85,777 78,199 -7,578 
			 County Durham 410,425 403,742 -6,683 
			 East Devon 104,287 97,680 -6,607 
			 Herefordshire 143,097 136,572 -6,525 
			 Lancaster 107,715 101,797 -5,918 
			 Allerdale 74,917 69,024 -5,893 
			 Dudley 245,191 239,424 -5,767 
			 Enfield 216,183 210,581 -5,602 
			 Tonbridge and Malling 91,444 86,048 -5,396 
			 Renfrewshire 130,992 126,096 -4,896 
			 Ashfield 92,202 87,877 -4,325 
			 Colchester 130,266 125,953 -4,313 
			 Sheffield 403,248 399,131 -4,117 
			 Mansfield 82,180 78,154 -4,026 
			 Suffolk Coastal 97,940 94,106 -3,834 
			 Hastings 64,973 61,181 -3,792 
			 Coventry 237,472 233,710 -3,762 
			 Doncaster 225,714 221,991 -3,723 
		
	
	
		
			 Bath and North East Somerset 137,835 134,174 -3,661 
			 Westminster 141,749 138,200 -3,549 
			 Wakefield 255,352 251,831 -3,521 
			 Gedling 89,669 86,206 -3,463 
			 Breckland 101,666 98,256 -3,410 
			 Rhondda, Cynon, Taf 178,989 175,612 -3,377 
			 Wellingborough 55,584 52,241 -3,343 
			 Newcastle Upon Tyne 205,148 201,806 -3,342 
			 Brighton And Hove 210,495 207,167 -3,328 
			 South Lakeland 84,052 80,782 -3,270 
			 St. Helens 139,553 136,294 -3,259 
			 Broxtowe 84,336 81,328 -3,008 
			 Nottingham 207,171 204,362 -2,809 
			 Inverclyde 61,605 58,819 -2,786 
			 East Hertfordshire 105,471 102,724 -2,747 
			 Rother 72,967 70,223 -2,744 
			 Horsham 103,481 101,018 -2,463 
			 Tandridge 62,537 60141 -2,396 
			 Sandwell 231,546 229,169 -2,377 
			 Bournemouth 142,658 140,284 -2,374 
			 Bromsgrove 74,208 71,888 -2,320 
			 Walsall 198,996 196,791 -2,205 
			 Stafford 98,671 96,598 -2,073 
			 Worthing 82,100 80,056 -2,044 
		
	
	The following parliamentary constituencies are covered by these local authorities:
	
		
			 Local authority name Constituency name 
			 Leeds Elmet and Rothwell 
			  Leeds Central 
			  Leeds East 
			  Leeds North East 
			  Leeds North West 
			  Leeds West 
			  Morley and Outwood 
			  Pudsey 
			   
			 Birmingham Birmingham, Edgbaston 
			  Birmingham, Erdington 
			  Birmingham, Hall Green 
			  Birmingham, Hodge Hill 
			  Birmingham, Ladywood 
			  Birmingham, Northfield 
			  Birmingham, Perry Barr 
			  Birmingham, Selly Oak 
			  Birmingham, Yardley 
			  Sutton Coldfield 
			   
			 Cornwall Camborne and Redruth 
			  North Cornwall 
			  South East Cornwall 
			  St Austell and Newquay 
			  St Ives 
		
	
	
		
			  Truro and Falmouth 
			   
			 Newham East Ham 
			  West Ham 
			   
			 Northampton Northampton North 
			  Northampton South 
			  South Northamptonshire 
			   
			 Shropshire Ludlow 
			  North Shropshire 
			  Shrewsbury and Atcham 
			  The Wrekin 
			   
			 Barnet Chipping Barnet 
			  Finchley and Golders Green 
			  Hendon 
			   
			 Maidstone Faversham and Mid Kent 
			  Maidstone and The Weald 
			   
			 Taunton Deane Taunton Deane 
			   
			 County Durham Bishop Auckland 
			  City of Durham 
			  Easington 
			  North Durham 
			  North West Durham 
			  Sedgefield 
			   
			 East Devon Central Devon 
			  East Devon 
			  Tiverton and Honiton 
			   
			 Herefordshire, county of Hereford and South Herefordshire 
			  North Herefordshire 
			   
			 Lancaster Lancaster and Fleetwood 
			  Morecambe and Lunesdale 
			   
			 Allerdale Copeland 
			  Penrith and The Border 
			  Workington 
			   
			 Dudley Dudley North 
			  Dudley South 
			  Halesowen and Rowley Regis 
			  Stourbridge 
			  Wolverhampton South East 
			   
			 Enfield Edmonton 
			  Enfield North 
			  Enfield, Southgate 
			   
			 Tonbridge and Malling Chatham and Aylesford 
			  Tonbridge and Malling 
		
	
	
		
			 Renfrewshire Paisley and Renfrewshire North 
			  Paisley and Renfrewshire South 
			   
			 Ashfield Ashfield 
			  Sherwood 
			   
			 Colchester Colchester 
			  Harwich and North Essex 
			  Witham 
			   
			 Sheffield Penistone and Stocksbridge 
			  Sheffield Central 
			  Sheffield South East 
			  Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough 
			  Sheffield, Hallam 
			  Sheffield, Heeley 
			   
			 Mansfield Mansfield 
			   
			 Suffolk Coastal Central Suffolk and North Ipswich 
			  Suffolk Coastal 
			   
			 Hastings Hastings and Rye 
			   
			 Coventry Coventry North East 
			  Coventry North West 
			  Coventry South 
			   
			 Doncaster Don Valley 
			  Doncaster Central 
			  Doncaster North 
			   
			 Bath and North East Somerset Bath 
			  North East Somerset 
			   
			 Westminster Cities of London and Westminster 
			  Westminster North 
			   
			 Wakefield Hemsworth 
			  Morley and Outwood 
			  Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford 
			  Wakefield 
			   
			 Gedling Gedling 
			  Sherwood 
			   
			 Breckland Mid Norfolk 
			  South West Norfolk 
			   
			 Rhondda Cynon Taf Cynon Valley 
			  Ogmore 
			  Pontypridd 
			  Rhondda 
		
	
	
		
			 Wellingborough Daventry 
			  Wellingborough 
			   
			 Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne Central 
			  Newcastle upon Tyne East 
			  Newcastle upon Tyne North 
			   
			 Brighton and Hove Brighton, Kemptown 
			  Brighton, Pavilion 
			  Hove 
			   
			 South Lakeland Barrow and Furness 
			  Westmorland and Lonsdale 
			   
			 St Helens St Helens North 
			  St Helens South and Whiston 
			   
			 Broxtowe Ashfield 
			  Broxtowe 
			   
			 Nottingham Nottingham East 
			  Nottingham North 
			  Nottingham South 
			   
			 Inverclyde Inverclyde 
			   
			 East Hertfordshire Hertford and Stortford 
			  North East Hertfordshire 
			  Stevenage 
			   
			 Rother Bexhill and Battle 
			  Hastings and Rye 
			   
			 Horsham Arundel and South Downs 
			  Horsham 
			   
			 Tandridge East Surrey 
			   
			 Sandwell Halesowen and Rowley Regis 
			  Warley 
			  West Bromwich East 
			  West Bromwich West 
			   
			 Bournemouth Bournemouth East 
			  Bournemouth West 
			   
			 Bromsgrove Bromsgrove 
			   
			 Walsall Aldridge-Brownhills 
			  Walsall North 
			  Walsall South 
			   
			 Stafford Stafford 
			  Stone 
			   
			 Worthing East Worthing and Shoreham 
		
	
	
		
			  Worthing West

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, 
	(1)  if the Electoral Commission will publish the names of the 10 local authorities with the (a) smallest and (b) biggest percentage increase in registration after the implementation of the Standard Three door-to-door canvassing for 2013 canvass; and which parliamentary constituencies each such local authority covers;
	(2)  will publish the 10 local authorities with the biggest (a) increase and (b) decrease in the net number of electors following the 2013 annual canvass.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that the following table shows the 10 local authorities with the biggest increases and decreases in electorate between the start and end of the 2013 canvass:
	
		
			 Local authority Change (November 2013 to February/March 2014 
			 Edinburgh, City of 20,241 
			 Cheshire West and Chester 14,676 
			 Tower Hamlets 10,566 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 9,550 
			 Taunton Deane 9,023 
			 North Lanarkshire 9,001 
			 South Lanarkshire 8,926 
			 Glasgow City 8,710 
			 Huntingdonshire 8,023 
			 Mole Valley 7,866 
			 Northampton -10,309 
			 Barnet -12,743 
			 Newham -16,617 
			 Maidstone -10,121 
			 Cornwall -13,195 
			 East Devon -6,424 
			 Birmingham -20,572 
			 Shropshire -14,350 
			 Leeds -24,119 
			 Renfrewshire -7,693 
		
	
	These local authorities cover the following parliamentary constituencies:
	
		
			 Local authority Constituencies covered 
			 Edinburgh, city of Edinburgh East 
			  Edinburgh North and Leith 
			  Edinburgh South 
			  Edinburgh South West 
			  Edinburgh West 
			   
			 Cheshire West and Chester City of Chester 
			  Eddisbury 
			  Ellesmere Port and Neston 
			  Tatton 
			  Weaver Vale 
			   
			 Tower Hamlets Bethnal Green and Bow 
		
	
	
		
			  Poplar and Limehouse 
			   
			 Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne Central 
			  Newcastle upon Tyne East 
			  Newcastle upon Tyne North 
			   
			 Taunton Deane Taunton Deane 
			   
			 North Lanarkshire Airdrie and Shotts 
			  Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill 
			  Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East 
			  Motherwell and Wishaw 
			   
			 South Lanarkshire Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale 
			  East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow 
			  Lanark and Hamilton East 
			  Rutherglen and Hamilton West 
			   
			 Glasgow City East Dunbartonshire 
			  Glasgow Central 
			  Glasgow East 
			  Glasgow North 
			  Glasgow North East 
			  Glasgow North West 
			  Glasgow South 
			  Glasgow South West 
			   
			 Huntingdonshire Huntingdon 
			  North West Cambridgeshire 
			   
			 Mole Valley Epsom and Ewell 
			  Mole Valley 
			   
			 Northampton Northampton North 
			  Northampton South 
			  South Northamptonshire 
			   
			   
			 Barnet Chipping Barnet 
			  Finchley and Golders Green 
			  Hendon 
			   
			 Newham East Ham 
			  West Ham 
			   
			 Maidstone Faversham and Mid Kent 
			  Maidstone and The Weald 
			   
			 Cornwall Camborne and Redruth 
			  North Cornwall 
			  South East Cornwall 
			  St Austell and Newquay 
			  St Ives 
			  Truro and Falmouth 
		
	
	
		
			 East Devon Central Devon 
			  East Devon 
			  Tiverton and Honiton 
			   
			 Birmingham Birmingham, Edgbaston 
			  Birmingham, Erdington 
			  Birmingham, Hall Green 
			  Birmingham, Hodge Hill 
			  Birmingham, Ladywood 
			  Birmingham, Northfield 
			  Birmingham, Perry Barr 
			  Birmingham, Selly Oak 
			  Birmingham, Yardley 
			  Sutton Coldfield 
			   
			 Shropshire Ludlow 
			  North Shropshire 
			  Shrewsbury and Atcham 
			  The Wrekin 
			   
			   
			 Leeds Elmet and Rothwell 
			  Leeds Central 
			  Leeds East 
			  Leeds North East 
			  Leeds North West 
			  Leeds West 
			  Morley and Outwood 
			  Pudsey 
			   
			 Renfrewshire Paisley and Renfrewshire North 
			  Paisley and Renfrewshire South

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, if the Electoral Commission will publish electoral registration rates for each region and constituent part of the UK for each of the last 30 years; what the long term and predicted future trends in levels of registration are; and if he will make a statement.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that it holds regional and country-level data on completeness from the studies on electoral registration which have been carried out using census data. This is presented in the table. Note that these estimates are not corrected for non-response to the census and as a result are higher than the commonly quoted headline completeness estimates.
	
		
			 Country/region 1981 1991 2001 
			 England 93.5 92.7 93.1 
			 Scotland 94.7 93.4 — 
			 Wales 90.8 95.2 94 
			 North East 92.6 — 93 
			 North West 94.2 — 92 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 94.4 — 93 
		
	
	
		
			 East Midlands 95 — 95 
			 West Midlands 93 — 96 
			 East of England 95 — 95 
			 London 90 — 87 
			 South East 95.2 — 94 
			 South West 92.4 — 94 
		
	
	The Commission’s 2011 report summarises its conclusions on the recent trends in levels of registration and likely causal factors. The report can be found on their website here:
	http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/145366/Great-Britains-electoral-registers-2011.pdf
	A further report on the completeness and accuracy of the registers will be published in July and will update the picture to 2014.

Voting Behaviour

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the answer of 26 June 2014, Official Report, columns 267-68W, on general election 2010, if the Electoral Commission will make it its policy to hold information on ward level turnout for general as well as local elections.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that legislation specifies what data returning officers (ROs) must currently record and report to the Commission, and the list of required data does not include ward level electoral data for UK parliamentary general elections. The Commission's current view is that the likely benefits of it collecting this data are insufficient to justify the additional burden it would impose on ROs and their staff. The Commission will continue to collect electoral data at constituency level for UK parliamentary general elections.

Voting Behaviour

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, which 100 wards had the lowest turnout for voting (a) in person and (b) by postal vote in the last set of local elections for which figures are available; and which town, county and parliamentary constituency each such ward was located.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that it has placed the answer to the hon. Member's question in the Library.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many refugees have been recognised under each eligibility criterion in each of the last five years.

Karen Bradley: The Home Office is unable to provide information with regards to eligibility criterion; this information is not readily accessible.
	The following data refers to asylum claims lodged in the UK. These figures refer to main applicants and therefore do not include dependents.
	
		
			  Total grants Grants of asylum Grants of HP Grants of DL Other grants Appeals allowed Total 
			 2009 6,742 4,188 94 2,460 - 3,712 10,454 
			 2010 5,195 3,488 91 1,616 - 4,029 9,224 
			 2011 5,649 4,312 81 1,256 - 2,779 8,428 
			 2012 6,059 5,135 88 751 85 2,208 8,267 
			 2013 6,542 5,734 53 540 215 2,079 8,621

Asylum

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total cost to the public purse of (a) officials' time and (b) legal fees was of defending Refugee Action vs the Home Department, case number CO/8523/2013.

Karen Bradley: Information relating to officials' time is not available because the time spent on individual cases is not broken down or recorded. Legal costs to date are £109,076.74.

Asylum: Finance

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers in receipt of section 95 support are (a) singe adults aged between 18 and 24, (b) single adults aged over 25, (c) couples, (d) single lone parents, (e) aged 16 or 17, (f) children under 16 and (g) children under five.

Karen Bradley: The Home Office data on section 95 claimants is aligned to the specific payment categories. The categories referred to in the question were changed in October 2009.
	The Home Office data on section 95 claimants is aligned to the specific payment categories. The categories referred to in the question were changed in October 2009.
	
		
			 Category Total number 
			 Child aged 16 or 17 333 
			 Couple 5,638 
			 Lone Parent aged 18 or over 3,256 
			 Person aged 18 or over 7,023 
			 Under 5 5,526 
			 Children aged 5 to 15 4,667 
			 Note: 5,638 is the number of persons categorised as couples not the number of couples (2,819).

Asylum: Finance

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long on average an asylum seeker stays on Section 95 support.

Karen Bradley: We do not hold data on the amount of time people stay on section 95 support in a format that is compatible with National Statistics protocols.

Asylum: Somalia

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many failed asylum seekers have (a) been deported and (b) voluntarily returned to Somalia in each of the last 12 months; and if she will make a statement.

Karen Bradley: The following table provides the number of asylum cases removed or departing voluntarily from the UK to Somalia in each of the last 12 months.
	
		
			  Total asylum enforced removals Total asylum voluntary departures 
			 April 2013 0 0 
			 May 2013 0 0 
			 June 2013 0 0 
			 July 2013 0 1 
			 August 2013 0 1 
			 September 2013 0 0 
			 October 2013 0 2 
			 November 2013 1 0 
			 December 2013 1 1 
			 January 2014 1 0 
			 February 2014 0 0 
			 March 2014 2 0 
			 Total 5 5 
			 1 Destination as recorded on source database; all nationals returned to Somalia. 2 Removals are recorded on the system as at the dates on which the data extracts were taken. 3 Recorded on the system as having claimed asylum at some point. 4 Provisional figures. Notes: 1. It is not possible within these figures to say at what stage in the asylum process individuals have reached at the time of their removal, including whether their claim has failed at that point, as those departing voluntarily can do so at any stage without necessarily notifying the Home Office. The figures therefore include all asylum cases removed or departing voluntarily to Somalia, including those both awaiting a decision and those that have been refused asylum. 2. The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the number of persons removed or departing voluntarily from the UK within Immigration Statistics. The data on removals and voluntary departures are readily available in the latest release, Immigration Statistics: January to March 2014, from the gov.uk website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release

British Nationality

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer of 4 March 2014, Official Report, column 730W, on British nationality, how many orders stripping people of citizenship have been made since 4 March 2014; what the nationality of each person so affected was; and what the grounds of the decision were in each additional case. [R]

Karen Bradley: Since March 2014 fewer than five individuals have been deprived of their British citizenship.
	The grounds for the deprivation orders made during this period were either that:
	The Secretary of State was satisfied that such deprivation was conducive to the public good and the person would not be made stateless as a result, or; the individual obtained their British citizenship by means of fraud, false representation or concealment of material fact.
	Due to the small number of cases involved, revealing the other nationalities of the individuals deprived may make it possible to determine their identity and so this detail will not be released.
	This information has been provided from local management information and is not a national statistic. As such it should be treated as provisional and therefore subject to change.

British Nationality: Assessments

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department makes reasonable adjustments to require the needs of individuals with learning difficulties who want to apply for citizenship but are unable to pass the Life in the UK test.

Karen Bradley: There is discretion within the British Nationality Act 1981 to waive the knowledge of language and life in the UK requirement for a naturalisation application if, because of a person’s age, physical or mental condition, it would be unreasonable to expect them to meet it.

Entry Clearances: Married People

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effect of the minimum income threshold requirement on pensioners who wish to sponsor their partner's visa to settle in the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Karen Bradley: The minimum income threshold for sponsoring a partner under the family Immigration Rules aims to prevent burdens on the taxpayer and promote integration. It is appropriate that the requirement to meet the income threshold should not be affected by the age of the sponsor. The income threshold rules make provision for the counting of a wide range of both employment and non-employment income, including pensions, and of cash savings. They also exempt the applicant from the income threshold requirement where the sponsor is in receipt of a specified disability-related benefit or carer’s allowance.

HM Passport Office

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were employed by HM Passport Office on 1 January (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013 and (e) 2014.

James Brokenshire: The formal record for workforce data is made on the last day of each calendar month.
	The data as of 31 December in each year were as follows.
	
		
			 31 December Full-time equivalents 
			 2010 3,700 
			 2011 3,286 
			 2012 3,164 
			 2013 3,333 
		
	
	These figures are for permanent civil servants employed by HMPO, including part year appointments and permanent members of staff employed on contracts for nine months of the year. This excludes staff on secondment or loan, and agency and temporary staff—with these staff included, the March 2014 figure is 3,444.

Illegal Immigrants: Deportation

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal immigrants have been sent back from the UK to their country of origin in each calendar year since May 2010.

Karen Bradley: The following table provides the total number of persons removed or departed voluntarily from the UK to their country of origin in each year since 2010. The information provided is a subset of the total number of persons removed or departed voluntarily from the UK as others may be removed or depart voluntarily to a country that is different to their country of origin.
	
		
			 Number of persons removals or voluntary departured from the UK to their country of origin, 2010 to 20131, 2 
			  Total enforced removals Total non-asylum refused entry at port and subsequently departed Total voluntary departures 
			 January to April 2010 4,098 2,857 7,718 
			 May to December 2010 8,691 5,139 14,049 
			 Total 2010 12,789 7,996 21,767 
			     
			 2011 12,997 6,250 20,622 
			 20123 13,096 5,760 22,272 
			 20133 11,577 6,252 28,130 
			 1 Destination as recorded on source database; all nationals returned to their country of origin. 2 Removals are recorded on the system as at the dates on which the data extracts were taken. 3 Provisional figures. 
		
	
	The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the number of persons removed or departed voluntarily from the UK within Immigration Statistics. The data on removals and voluntary departures are readily available in the latest release, “Immigration Statistics: January to March 2014”, from the gov.uk website:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release

Immigration

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the request by Rupert Ogwuezor dated 13 June 2011 for reconsideration of his case (HO reference: 01085860/2) will be determined; and what the reasons are for the time taken to process this case.

Karen Bradley: On 13 November 2012, we published our policy on reconsiderations.
	Mr Ogwuezor’s case will be considered in line with this policy.
	A number of factors have contributed to delays in dealing with such reconsideration requests including a higher than expected increase in charged applications for Leave to Remain following the tightening of policy. We have now focused more resource towards providing swifter decisions and improved customer service.
	Mr Ogwuezor’s case has now been considered and we wrote to him on 4 July 2014 notifying him of the outcome.

Ministerial Policy Advisers

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether all her Department's special advisers have undergone developed vetting.

Karen Bradley: I can confirm that the Department's special advisers are security cleared to the appropriate national security vetting level deemed necessary for the requirements of the post.

Offences against Children: Internet

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2014, Official Report, column 666W, on offences against children: internet, whether the intelligence packets were divided up into police authority areas based on the address of the suspected purchaser; and how many intelligence packages were sent to each police force in the UK.

Damian Green: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 30 June 2014, Official Report, column 377W.
	National Crime Agency intelligence packages are disseminated to the most appropriate police force based on information drawn from an investigation. This was the case in Operation Rescue/Calando.
	The information requested on the number of intelligence packages sent to each police force in the UK is operational and cannot be released because of the possibility that there are related investigations or judicial processes ongoing.

Passports

Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) new passport applications and (b) passport renewal applications have been received by HM Passport Office since the beginning of the current financial year; and what proportion of such applications were completed and dispatched within (i) three and (ii) four weeks.

James Brokenshire: During April and May 2014, Her Majesty's Passport Office received:
	(a) 319,639 new passport applications.
	(b) 1,044,840 passport renewal applications.
	Her Majesty's Passport Office does not hold passport application processing data in the format requested, although we can advise that 96.1% of straightforward applications were processed within three weeks and 96.9% of non straightforward passport applications were processed within the six-week target.

Passports

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints her Department has received regarding delays to the issuing of a passport in each of the last four years.

James Brokenshire: The following table shows the number of complaints related to delays in receiving a passport.
	
		
			  Number of complaints relating to delays 
			 2010 1,253 
			 2011 1,341 
			 2012 1,513 
			 2013 1,437

Passports

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for (a) new passports and (b) passport renewals there have been in the last year; and what the annual change in such figures has been. [Official Report, 1 September 2014, Vol. 585, c. 7MC.]

James Brokenshire: During the period between 1 June 2013 and 31 May 2014, Her Majesty's Passport Office received 1,446,983 first time passport applications and 4,528,751 passport renewal applications.
	This compares with 1,346,246 first time applications and 4,036,267 passport renewal applications during the period between 1 June 2012 and 31 May 2013.

Passports

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the recently employed additional staff in passport offices are estimated to cost.

James Brokenshire: Her Majesty's Passport Office have been training and redeploying staff from other duties within the Agency, from other parts of the wider Home Office, and in the case of one individual another Government Department, to meet the exceptional levels of passport demand. There will be some additional costs relating to staff where they will be temporarily working away from their normal workplace and where overtime is worked by staff from other parts of the Department. At this time it is not possible to put a reliable estimate on these additional costs.

Passports

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of (a) adult and (b) child passport renewal applications were processed within the three-week service standard in each of the last six months.

James Brokenshire: The following table shows the number of straightforward passport applications received within the UK which were processed within three weeks.
	
		
			 Month Proportion of straightforward applications processed within three weeks (percentage) 
			 December 2013 99.99 
			 January 2014 99.99 
			 February 2014 99.98 
			 March 2014 99.95 
			 April 2014 99.59 
			 May 2014 92.26 
		
	
	Her Majesty's Passport Office does not hold a further breakdown of this information by application type. The cost of bringing that information together would be disproportionate and so it is not possible to provide the information you have requested.

Passports

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much HM Passport Office has paid in compensation for delays in customers receiving passports in each year since 2004.

James Brokenshire: Her Majesty's Passport Office began recording data on complaints and compensation paid by various categories in 2005 so data are not held relating to 2004. Compensation paid to passport applicants relating to complaints concerning application processing delays amounted to:
	
		
			  £ 
			 2005 13,064 
			 2006 18,684 
			 2007 1,888 
			 2008 2,090 
			 2009 1,504 
			 2010 11,978 
			 2011 933 
			 2012 2,999 
			 2013 1,445

Recorded Crime: Thames Valley/Milton Keynes

Iain Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of trends in recorded crime in (a) Thames Valley Police area and (b) Milton Keynes since 2010.

Theresa May: Our police reforms are working and crime is continuing to fall. Under this Government crime in Thames Valley police area has fallen by over 24%. Recorded crime has also fallen in Milton Keynes by 24%.
	In the same period, overall crime has fallen by more than 10% according to both the independent Crime Survey for England and Wales, and police recorded crime.

Exit Controls

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress her Department has made on the reintroduction of exit controls from the UK.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office is committed to introducing exit checks by April 2015. The Government has introduced powers through the new Immigration Act to enable carriers to carry out these checks. We have carried out trials at ports and made positive progress on implementation with commercial partners.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Carbon Sequestration

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many members of staff have been employed on a full-time basis at the Office of Carbon Capture and Storage in each month since June 2010.

Michael Fallon: The number of staff employed by the Department of Energy and Climate Change to work full-time in the Office of Carbon Capture and Storage since June 2010 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 
			 January — 31 31 35 36 
			 February — 31 30 35 38 
			 March — 31 31 36 38 
			 April — 33 31 34 40 
			 May — 33 31 32 40 
			 June — 36 32 34 — 
			 July 18 35 34 37 — 
			 August — 33 36 37 — 
			 September — 35 36 37 — 
			 October 29 35 36 36 — 
			 November 29 33 35 36 — 
			 December 28 33 35 37 — 
		
	
	Figures for June, August and September 2010 are not available due to organisational restructuring at this time.

Carbon Sequestration

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much public funding is being provided in 2014-15 for research and development projects examining industrial carbon capture and storage.

Michael Fallon: The Government and its partners (the Energy Technologies Institute, Technology Strategy Board and Research Councils) are investing £125 million in the current spending period (2011-15), in around 100 CCS research and development projects. Many of these projects are researching aspects of transporting, utilising and storing carbon dioxide—research which is equally relevant to carbon capture projects on both power generation and industrial emitters.
	Full details of individual projects can be found on our website at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cross-government-carbon-capture-and-storage-r-d-programme-2011-2015-list-of-projects
	The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and Department of Energy and Climate Change jointly commissioned a techno-economic study of Industrial Carbon Capture for Storage and Capture for Utilisation in October 2013 to assess the technical potential and likely cost of applying different CO2 capture technologies to a range of energy intensive industries. This was published in May 2014 on our website at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/co2-capture-in-the-uk-cement-chemicals-iron-steel-and-oil-refining-sectors

Dounreay

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent changes the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has approved to the baseline decommissioning plan for the Dounreay site; and what the additional cost is of such changes.

Michael Fallon: Since the award of the contract for the Dounreay site in 2012, additional scope has arisen, covering:
	1. Differences between the condition of the site at the time of contract award and its condition when the tender documents were published;
	2. Physical enhancements to the site, arising from evolving national standards;
	3. Removal of nuclear fuels from Dounreay to Sellafield for long-term storage, in line with Government policy that was subject to consultation at the time of the contract award.
	The full scope of all changes to the contract is not yet fully costed. The NDA has, however, announced that it will make available £50 million from savings elsewhere in its estate in the current financial year and in 2015-16 to enable work to continue including additional scope. Funding in subsequent years will be subject to the next spending review.

Electricity: Storage

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will develop a strategy on electricity storage across the UK.

Michael Fallon: A DECC report ‘Electricity System: Assessment of Future Challenges’, published August 2012, concluded that:
	“increasingly, technologies that can be used to help balance the supply and demand of electricity (demand side response (DSR), electricity storage and interconnection) and smarter networks are likely to be required to help match the supply and demand of electricity efficiently and cost-effectively under the changing generation and demand profiles”.
	The extent of deployment of storage will depend on the composition of future electricity systems-both supply and demand-as well as the cost and availability of storage and the other balancing technologies.
	The Low Carbon Innovation Co-ordination Group (LCICG), which includes the Department of Energy and Climate Change and the other major public-sector backed organisations that invest in low carbon technology innovation, published a Strategic Framework in February 2014, which prioritises future innovation needs in 11 key technology areas-including electricity storage. While the Strategic Framework highlights the uncertainty about the exact role for storage in the future energy system and the role of different storage technologies, it has identified strategic priorities for continued and future UK innovation investment in electricity storage. DECC, working with the other LCICG members, will use the Strategic Framework to help develop and co-ordinate future spending plans for innovation in storage and other low carbon technologies.

Electricity: Storage

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department has made of the effect of effective electricity storage capacity on energy costs.

Michael Fallon: DECC has identified energy storage as one of the possible balancing mechanisms-alongside other mechanisms, including demand-side response and interconnectors. Different mechanisms are expected to be needed to meet different balancing needs in the transmission and distribution networks, depending on the characteristics they offer, such as their peak power; duration of storage; and response times. The extent of deployment and effect of storage on energy costs will depend on the composition of future electricity systems-both supply and demand-as well as the cost and availability of storage and the other balancing technologies.
	Research carried out for the Carbon Trust by Professor Goran Strbac and a team at Imperial College and published in June 2012 in a report titled ‘Role and Value of Energy Storage Systems in the UK Low Carbon Energy Future’, concluded that:
	“energy storage can bring benefits to several sectors in the electricity industry, including generation, transmission and distribution, while providing services to support real-time balancing of demand and supply, network congestion management and reduce the need for investment in system reinforcement”.
	The Imperial College report estimated that in a
	“2050 high renewables scenario, application of energy storage technologies could potentially generate total system savings of £10bn/year”.
	The Low Carbon Innovation Co-ordination Group, which includes the Department of Energy and Climate Change and the other major public-sector investors in low carbon technology innovation, published a Strategic Framework in February 2014 which concluded that successful innovation in electricity storage technologies could save the UK energy system about £4.6 billion in total by 2050.

Electricity: Storage

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what support his Department provides to encourage the production of electricity storage capacity in the UK.

Michael Fallon: The Low Carbon Innovation Co-ordination Group’s (LCICG) Strategic Framework, published February 2014, notes that innovation in storage is important to realising the enabling benefits of electricity storage technologies. In the Strategic Framework, the LCICG concludes that successful innovation in electricity storage technologies could save the UK energy system about £4.6 billion by 2050.
	DECC is providing significant innovation support for energy storage technologies by funding 7 research and 4 large-scale demonstration energy storage projects-with a total budget of about £18 million.
	DECC also regards storage-along with demand side response (DSR)-as essential for a better functioning electricity market and both play an important role in ensuring security of supply. The Government is implementing measures to establish broader and more flexible DSR and Storage sectors as part of the Electricity Market Reform programme. Specifically, DECC will run two Capacity Market transitional auctions in 2015 and 2016, ahead of the Capacity Market’s first full delivery year in 2018-19. These “transitional arrangements” will help grow the demand side and sub-50 MW storage industries and ensure effective competition between traditional power plants and new forms of capacity, driving down future costs for consumers. The Irish Single Electricity Market already uses a capacity mechanism so the UK Government and Northern Ireland have agreed that the Capacity Market will only apply across Great Britain with any associated costs being borne by GB customers only.

Energy

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to his contribution of 18 June 2014, Official Report, column 1191, on energy prices, what the evidential basis is for his statement that there was under-investment in the UK's energy infrastructure.

Michael Fallon: The Government faces the challenge of securing up to £100 billion on investment in electricity generation and networks by the end of the decade to keep the lights on and decarbonise energy, having already attracted £45 billion since 2010. This is a higher level of investment than previously achieved, based on ONS investment data going back to 2004.

Energy: Cybercrime

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the extent to which the UK’s energy infrastructure was exposed to the recent Energetic Bear cyberattack.

Michael Fallon: Cyber-security is one of the Government’s top four national security priorities. DECC is working with Government Departments and agencies, as well as with industry partners, to ensure that the risks to the energy sector are understood and that appropriate mitigations are established. It would not be appropriate to comment on specific cases.

Energy: Prices

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to his contribution of 18 June 2014, Official Report, column 1193, on energy prices, what assessment his Department has made of the rocket and feather effect in energy prices.

Michael Fallon: Ofgem have carried out a detailed assessment of the rocket and feather effect, first in a research paper in 2011 and more recently, along with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), in the State of the Market Assessment. Evidence that large suppliers raise prices more quickly when costs increase than they reduce prices when costs fall was one of the issues underpinning Ofgem’s recent referral of the energy markets to the CMA.

Fracking: East Yorkshire

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether any fracking, or explorative work relating to fracking (a) is currently taking place and (b) has recently taken place in East Yorkshire, and where; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon: No applications have been received for hydraulic fracturing of shale gas in East Yorkshire. However, small scale testing to determine rock characteristics is planned; these are a routine part of oil and gas operations.

Nuclear Installations

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the answer of 28 April 2014, Official Report, column 507W, on nuclear installation, what approval mechanisms he (a) has and (b) intends to put in place to ensure that costs are minimised.

Michael Fallon: The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is responsible for running the competition to secure a new Parent Body Organisation for Magnox Ltd and Research Sites Restoration Ltd, and will be responsible for ensuring that the benefits of the contract, including cost savings, are realised subsequently.
	The NDA has run the competition using the Competitive Dialogue procedure, under which the evaluation must identify the Most Economically Advantageous Tender. The NDA invited tenders on the basis of an estimated scope of activities required over a 14-year period, with an indicative cost forecast of up to £7 billion. Savings were sought against this target, together with proposals for innovative solutions that would generate efficiencies and/or optimise the decommissioning process.
	The successful bid was selected from four tender submissions which were subject to comprehensive evaluation and scrutiny by the NDA against a range of criteria including cost, health, safety and security, underpinning technical rationale, commercial terms and approach to socio-economics. The preferred bid represents a saving of at least £1 billion compared to the original baseline.

Nuclear Power Stations: Safety

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  with reference to the application by EDF Energy to relax safety limits at Dungeness nuclear power station, what his Department's policy is on possible changes to safety limits at other nuclear power stations;
	(2)  for what reasons safety limits at Dungeness nuclear power station were set at their present level.

Michael Fallon: The UK’s nuclear licensing regime, which is underpinned by Statute, requires nuclear facility operators to put in place arrangements to protect the health and safety of workers and the wider public from the hazards of the industry. Such arrangements are set out in safety cases which are subject to review by the independent nuclear regulator, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR).
	The law requires that the Licensee demonstrates, via the safety case of which safety limits are part, that risks have been reduced to as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP). Therefore ONR does not set safety limits but reviews key parts of the safety case to ensure the ALARP principle has been met.
	The ONR assessed the relevant aspects of the safety case for Dungeness B and was satisfied that the licensee had demonstrated that the proposed changes were acceptable. Similarly, ONR carries out assessment of safety cases submitted by all licensees to satisfy itself that the justification made, in support of the safety limits, is adequate. The ONR would not allow continued operation of any civil nuclear site unless it was safe to do so.

Oil: Exploration

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which (a) Government Departments and (b) external stakeholders were consulted in the determination of the 1981 licence application made by British Petroleum to drill in the firth of Clyde; and (i) on what date and (ii) for what reason the application was ruled unsuccessful.

Michael Fallon: The only relevant records which the Department holds indicate that BP held an onshore production licence (PL262) between 1984 and 1988 which included acreage in the firth of Clyde. This information was released in response to a freedom of information request—which can be found via the following link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oil-gas-exploration-in-the-firth-of-clyde-foi-130568
	The Department does not hold any other documents relating to licence PL262 or oil exploration in the firth of Clyde.

Renewable Energy

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to his contribution of 18 June 2014, Official Report, column 1191, on energy prices, 
	(1)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the Bloomberg new energy finance analysis;
	(2)  what the evidential basis is for his statement that the UK had the highest level of renewable investment in Europe in 2013.

Michael Fallon: In the answer I gave to the right hon. Member on 12 May 2014, Official Report, columns 344-5W, I confirmed that a copy of the Bloomberg New Energy Finance analysis of new investment in UK renewable electricity was placed in the Libraries of both Houses. This analysis shows that average annual investment in renewables has more than doubled in this Parliament, compared with the previous one.
	I have today also placed the Bloomberg New Energy Finance analysis of new investment in renewable electricity in 2013 in the Libraries of both Houses. This shows that UK had the highest level of renewable investment in Europe in 2013.
	
		
			  2013 (in $ million) 
			 United Kingdom 11,981 
			 Germany 10,999 
			 Italy 3,563 
			 France 3,036 
			 Spain 580 
			 Other EU Europe 11,900 
			 Total 42,059 
			 Source: Bloomberg New Energy Finance

TRANSPORT

A14

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motor vehicle accidents occurred on the A14 in each month in 2013.

Robert Goodwill: The numbers of reported personal injury motor vehicle accidents on the A14 for each of the 12 months in 2013 are given in following table; by severity:
	
		
			 Number of reported personal injury accidents involving at least one motor vehicle1 on the A14 from Felixstowe to its junction with M6 
			  Fatal Serious Slight Total 
			 January 6 2 45 53 
			 February 0 2 14 16 
		
	
	
		
			 March 0 3 34 37 
			 April 1 5 46 52 
			 May 0 3 38 41 
			 June 4 7 32 43 
			 July 0 1 29 30 
			 August 0 13 41 54 
			 September 0 4 38 42 
			 October 0 11 53 64 
			 November 1 7 57 65 
			 December 2 4 43 49 
			 Total 14 62 470 546 
			 1 Excludes pedal cycles, horse riders and mobility scooters.

A428

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motor vehicle accidents occurred on the A428 in each month in 2013.

Robert Goodwill: The numbers of reported personal injury motor vehicle accidents on the A428 in each of the 12 months in 2013 are given in the following table; by severity
	
		
			 Number of reported personal injury accidents involving at least one motor vehicle1 on the A428 in 2013 
			 Number of accidents 
			  Fatal Serious Slight Total 
			 January 0 0 17 17 
			 February 0 2 10 12 
			 March 0 1 17 18 
			 April 0 3 20 23 
			 May 0 7 17 24 
			 June 0 7 13 20 
			 July 0 0 16 16 
			 August 0 6 12 18 
			 September 0 0 6 6 
			 October 0 5 23 28 
			 November 0 2 10 12 
			 December 0 3 24 27 
			 Total 0 36 185 221 
			 1 Excludes pedal cycles, horse riders and mobility scooters

Cycling: Children

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 12 June 2014, Official Report, column 295W, on cycling: children, what criteria his Department uses to measure whether a mode of transport is safe and secure.

Robert Goodwill: Anyone killed or seriously injured on our roads is one too many. The Department collects and publishes statistics annually (and sub-annually) and uses those to monitor road safety. Where there is an existing or emerging road safety challenge, the Department works hard to ensure the right policy solutions are in place to minimise those road safety risks.

Cycling: Safety

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to improve the road safety behaviour of pedal cyclists; what steps he is taking to make it more likely that those cyclists who ride through red traffic lights are prosecuted; and if he will make a statement.

Robert Goodwill: The Department recognises that everyone who uses the highway has a responsibility to behave safely and with consideration for others. Cyclists who commit offences can be prosecuted for riding dangerously or carelessly.
	The enforcement of cycling offences is an operational matter for individual chief officers of police. Officers can issue verbal warnings, fixed penalty notices or report the road user for formal prosecution.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many complaints have been received from members of the public about employees of (a) HS2 Ltd, (b) his Department or (c) any member of staff seconded to either HS2 Ltd or his Department in relation to the High Speed 2 project; what the grade was of the person against whom the complaint was made; and what the (i) substance and (ii) result was of each such complaint.

Robert Goodwill: The Department for Transport’s complaints officer has not investigated any complaints against DfT staff working on HS2 or referred any such complaints to be considered by the Department’s independent complaints assessors.
	HS2 Ltd has received a total of 12 complaints since the start of April 2014, two of which have been referred to the parliamentary and health services ombudsman (PHSO). These are ‘complaints about service’ and not necessarily complaints about particular employees. The 10 complaints not referred to the ombudsman are considered to be resolved by HS2 Ltd.

M1

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the gantry cameras on the M1 motorway in Nottinghamshire and Hertfordshire are only used to police the variable speed limit when operational in those areas and for no other purpose.

Robert Goodwill: The gantry cameras on the M1 in Nottinghamshire and Hertfordshire are provided to encourage compliance with the variable mandatory speed limit when operational.
	The operation of these gantry cameras for enforcement purposes is a matter for the Hertfordshire and Nottinghamshire police respectively and may include enforcement of the national speed limit as well as the variable speed limits.

Members: Correspondence

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the total number of ministerial replies from his Department to hon. Members in a parliamentary Session; and what proportion of such replies are sent (a) by letter and (b) by email.

Stephen Hammond: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), on 7 July 2014, Official Report, columns 5-6W.

Network Rail

Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Framework Agreement between his Department and Network Rail on the reclassification of Network Rail will ensure that the Freedom of Information Act 2000 applies to Network Rail. [R]

Stephen Hammond: On 17 December 2013, the ONS announced that under new EU statistical rules (ESA10) which come into force on 1 September 2014, Network Rail will be reclassified to the public sector.
	The Department for Transport is currently working with Network Rail to decide on the details of how Network Rail will operate in the public sector. A Framework Agreement explaining these decisions will be published before 1 September.
	This Framework Agreement will address a number of issues, and this is likely to include our intended approach to the FOIA.

Railway Stations: Greater Manchester

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions his Department has had with Network Rail on the possible closure of Denton and Reddish South stations.

Stephen Hammond: The specifications for both the Northern and TransPennine Express franchises have not yet been decided. A public consultation exercise is being conducted, which will inform these specifications. The consultation can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/future-of-northern-and-transpennine-express-rail-franchises
	No decisions on services will be made until the consultation process has finished.
	The consultation document states that there are no plans for station closures in the new franchises. At this stage we have not had any formal discussion with Network Rail on the subject.

Railways: Greater Manchester

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with Northern Rail on the future use of the Stockport-Stalybridge line.

Stephen Hammond: The specifications for both the Northern and TransPennine Express franchises have not yet been decided. A public consultation exercise is being conducted, which will inform these specifications. The consultation can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/future-of-northern-and-transpennine-express-rail-franchises.
	No decisions on services will be made until the consultation process has finished.
	The consultation document states that there are no plans for station closures in the new competition. Therefore, we have not had any formal discussion with Northern Rail on the subject.

Railways: Greater Manchester

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with Network Rail on the future use of the Stockport-Stalybridge line.

Stephen Hammond: The specifications for both the Northern and TransPennine Express franchises have not yet been decided. A public consultation exercise is being conducted, which will inform these specifications. The consultation can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/future-of-northern-and-transpennine-express-rail-franchises
	No decisions on services will be made until the consultation process has finished.
	The consultation document states that there are no plans for station closures in the new franchises. At this stage we have not had any formal discussion with Network Rail on the subject.

Railways: Greater Manchester

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether any new Northern Franchise will take account of increased connectivity to Reddish South and Denton from the retention of the Stockport-Stalybridge line.

Stephen Hammond: The specifications for both the Northern and TransPennine Express franchises have not yet been decided. A public consultation exercise is being conducted, which will inform these specifications. The consultation can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/future-of-northern-and-transpennine-express-rail-franchises
	No decisions on services will be made until the consultation process has finished.

Railways: North West

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will meet the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish to discuss the possible increase in the use of Denton and Reddish South stations from the re-routing of existing services resulting from the Northern Hub improvements.

Stephen Hammond: I would be happy to meet the hon. Member.

Railways: North West

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the potential increase in the use of Denton and Reddish South stations from the re-routing of existing services as a result of the Northern Hub improvements.

Stephen Hammond: The specifications for both the Northern and TransPennine Express franchises have not yet been decided. A public consultation exercise is being conducted, which will inform these specifications. The consultation can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/future-of-northern-and-transpennine-express-rail-franchises
	No decisions on services, including the possible re-routing of existing services, will be made until the consultation process has finished.

Roads: Lancashire

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to Lancaster City Council's Local Plan for Lancaster District 2011-2031: Strategic Options for Land Allocations, what assessment his Department has made of whether it would be necessary to re-allocate junction 33 of the M6 to serve the university and 5,000 new homes that would be required under Option 1 of that plan.

Robert Goodwill: The Highways Agency has not carried out any assessments of the possible impact on M6 junction 33 of the of the Lancaster City Council’s Local Plan for Lancaster District 2011-31: Strategic Options for Land Allocations, Option 1.
	The local plan is still in the consultation period which ends on 31 July 2014. It is the council’s responsibility to assess the transport implications of their options and the agency will work with them as part of this process.

SESAR

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department has taken to oppose the recent decision of the European Parliament to exclude Gibraltar from the Single European Sky project.

Robert Goodwill: The Government is disappointed that the European Parliament voted to suspend Gibraltar from the Single European Skies dossier. This position is inconsistent with the EU treaties—which are clear that Gibraltar is part of the EU—and inconsistent with the approach taken earlier this year on Air Passenger Rights, where the European Parliament correctly amended the legislation so it applied to Gibraltar.
	The UK cannot accept a return to the pre-2006 practice of suspending Gibraltar Airport from EU aviation measures. Gibraltarians, and other EU citizens who pass through Gibraltar airport, should benefit fully from the rights accorded elsewhere, in the EU.
	The proposed measure needs to be agreed by both the Council and the European Parliament. The Council is currently discussing text proposed by the European Commission on the amended Single European Sky legislation (known as SES II+), which does not exclude Gibraltar. The UK will continue to oppose any proposals to exclude Gibraltar from the scope of this legislation.

West Coast Railway Line

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what change there will be in the daily number of new standard class passenger seats on West Coast Main Line passenger services during the term of the franchise directly awarded to West Coast Trains Ltd on 19 June 2014.

Stephen Hammond: An additional 5,500 standard class seats will be provided each day.

West Coast Railway Line

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many operators' licence applications for new services on the West Coast Main Line have been submitted to the Office for Rail Regulation since May 2010 to date; and which services the applicants wished to operate in each case.

Stephen Hammond: The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has received six new applications for passenger and freight train operator licences since May 2010. Train operator licences allow a train operator to run services throughout Great Britain or, if a European licence has been issued, Europe. Operator licences are not route specific.
	ORR also approves rights for specific train services which are held in track access agreements between Network Rail and train operators. Information about previous applications at route level is not readily available, however ORR advises it has one current track access application for new services using the West Coast Main Line (WCML). This is from Alliance Rail Holdings for new services between: London Euston and Leeds via Crewe, Stalybridge and Dewsbury; Bradford Interchange via Newton-le-Willows and Rochdale; Blackpool North via Preston; and Carlisle via Barrow-in-Furness and the Cumbrian Coast. ORR is able to provide further information about previous track access applications on the WCML should the hon. Member wish to contact the office at One Kemble Street, London, WC2B 4AN.

West Coast Railway Line

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which services on the West Coast Main Line will receive extra standard class seating as part of the new franchise agreement with West Coast Trains Ltd.

Stephen Hammond: The additional standard class seats will be offered on the routes currently served by the Pendolino trains. These include services between London and Wolverhampton, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Member Recall

David Hanson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals on the recall of hon. Members.

Greg Clark: The Government's intention to bring forward a recall Bill in this session was announced in the Queen's speech on 4 June.

Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership

Mark Pawsey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions has he had with the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership on devolving powers and responsibilities from central Government.

Greg Clark: I met with the Coventry and Warwickshire LEP on 24 March to sign the City Deal, and we have now agreed a Growth Deal with Coventry and Warwickshire LEP.
	The deal has secured £74 million from the Government's Local Growth Fund to support economic growth in the area—with nearly £14 million of new funding confirmed for 2015/16. This includes projects such as a new grow-on space for innovative businesses at Ansty Park near Rugby.

Business Growth: Newark

Robert Jenrick: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what support the Government are giving to business growth opportunities in Newark.

Greg Clark: Yesterday I announced that we have concluded a growth deal with the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire LEP, which includes Newark.
	The deal involves £172 million of Government investment in the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire area, a substantial commitment that will benefit businesses in Newark and throughout Nottinghamshire. A significant part of this investment will go towards a new Southern Link Road in Newark, which will help to alleviate congestion in the area and create 2,400 jobs.

Business Growth: Medway

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what support the Government are giving to business growth opportunities in Medway.

Greg Clark: As I announced yesterday, the Government is awarding the South East LEP a total of £6.8 million to help develop a Growth Hub in Kent and Medway which will simplify and better co-ordinate the range of services delivered to businesses in the area.
	The Government has also funded the TIGER RGF programme which has been allocated £20 million to support businesses seeking finance for growth in north Kent and Thurrock, Essex. The scheme extends beyond Medway but the largest concentration of eligible employers is in the Medway area.

Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership

Jason McCartney: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the Leeds City Region local enterprise partnership on devolving powers and responsibilities from central Government.

Greg Clark: I have been in regular dialogue with Leeds City Region LEP to discuss their Strategic Economic plan we have now concluded a Growth Deal with Leeds City Region.
	This deal will include £571 million from the Government's Local Growth Fund to support economic growth in the area—with £60 million of new funding confirmed for 2015-16. This will lead to investment in local transport, housing sites and colleges.

Devolution: Humber

Martin Vickers: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with his ministerial colleagues on further devolution of power from Westminster and Whitehall to the Humber region.

Greg Clark: I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on devolution and decentralisation which have culminated in the government's announcement of one of the biggest steps in decentralisation in a generation. Yesterday we announced individual deals with ail 39 local Enterprise Partnerships with a total investment of more than £6 billion. The growth deal heralds a new era for the Humber economy.

City Deals

Chris White: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent assessment he has made of how city deals are working.

Greg Clark: Cities and Local Enterprise Partnerships are making excellent progress in implementing their City Deals.
	The Coventry and Warwickshire City Deal was signed on 12 December 2013 and the Skills for Growth pilot has already registered 37 graduates, exceeding its targets.

European Parliament Elections

Greg Knight: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what mechanisms are in place to ensure that UK citizens only vote in one EU state in European elections.

Greg Clark: It is a criminal offence under UK law for a person to vote more than once in a European parliamentary election. This is clearly stated on polling cards.
	In addition, UK citizens resident in another EU member state are required by European law to complete a declaration if they wish to vote in their member state of residence at European parliamentary elections.
	The EU Council directive 93/109/EC places an obligation on all EU member states in the run-up to a European election to share information on other member states’ citizens residing within their boundaries who have completed such a declaration.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Sinn Fein

David Simpson: To ask the Leader of the House what his policy is on hon. Members of the Sinn Fein Party formally taking their seat in the House.

Andrew Lansley: The Government's view is that all Members elected to Westminster should take their seats.
	However, whether or not elected members choose to participate fully in the business of the House of Commons once elected is a decision for MPs themselves.
	While the Government is of the view that their constituents would be more fully represented if Sinn Fein MPs participated in all aspects of business at Westminster, it is a matter for the electorate if they choose to vote for candidates who have expressed an alternative view.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Meg Hillier: To ask the Leader of the House what guidance he has given to his ministerial colleagues about providing substantive answers to written questions.

Andrew Lansley: I regularly remind ministerial colleagues of their obligations to give accurate and truthful information to Parliament as set out in the Ministerial Code.
	The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons provides guidance to all Departments on the practice of answering parliamentary questions. The guidance advises that all parliamentary questions should be accurate, brief and clear.
	The full Guide is available on the Cabinet Office website at:
	http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-parliamentary-work

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Derelict Land

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the proportion of development land required to meet current net additional demand for housing that could come from brownfield sites.

Nicholas Boles: Much brownfield land is not suitable or readily available for housing. Much of this land is already in use, and of the brownfield land that is available much has further constraints based on demand (for example sufficient housing need in the right location), or developer ambition. Using these constraints we estimate that there could be housing for up to 200,000 homes on brownfield land. Of course, there may still be other restrictions on this land (such as contamination, green belt designation and risk of flooding).
	Ministers want to see permissions for homes in place on more than 90% of suitable brownfield land by 2020 and will be consulting on measures to underpin this ambition.

Housing: Lancashire

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to Lancaster City Council's Local Plan for Lancaster District 2011-2031: Strategic Options for Land Allocations, what assessment his Department has made of the logistics of providing the services for the 5,000 new homes in the rural area of the Lune Valley that would be required under Option 5 of that plan.

Nicholas Boles: We have not made any specific assessment; the drafting of a Local Plan is a matter for the local council. Planning guidance issued on 6 March is clear that infrastructure requirements must be considered by councils in plan making when they assess the suitability of sites.

Local Government: Trade Union Officials

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what reason the Local Government Transparency Code 2014 requires publication of the names of union representatives who spend over 50 per cent of their time on union duties, in addition to the number of such representatives and estimates of their cost as a percentage of the total pay bill; and if he will bring forward proposals to amend the code so that the identity of individuals is not published.

Brandon Lewis: The code does not require local authorities to publish the names of individual members of trade unions.
	The hon. Member may find it useful to read paragraph 31 of the code which clearly outlines the new provisions on increasing transparency on taxpayer-funding of trade unions.
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-government-transparency-code-2014

Members: Correspondence

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  if he will estimate the total number of ministerial replies from his Department to hon. Members in a parliamentary session; and what proportion of such replies are sent (a) by letter and (b) by email;
	(2)  what plans his Department has to increase the number of replies sent electronically to letters from hon. Members.

Brandon Lewis: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), on 7 July 2014, Official Report, column 5-6W.

Planning Permission

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government by what process planning decisions can be reversed at the discretion of a court.

Nicholas Boles: Challenges to planning appeal decisions are made under Section 288 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
	If a challenge is successful the High Court will normally return the case to the Planning Inspectorate for it to be decided again. This does not necessarily mean that the original decision will be changed or reversed.

Planning Permission: Gateshead

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what reasons he reversed the appeal decision in Gateshead Borough, ref 2193211.

Nicholas Boles: When appeal 2193211 was first received by the Planning Inspectorate in February 2013, the agent, acting for the appellant, indicated in the appeal form the hearing method as the preferred choice of procedure. They felt this was appropriate as consideration should be given to complex matters requiring technical expert evidence. The Planning Inspectorate wrote to the local planning authority who indicated they felt written representations would suffice.
	After considering the information provided and applying the published criteria for determining the procedure the Planning Inspectorate applied section 319a of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) and determined the written representations method was proportionate in the circumstances. No further correspondence regarding the choice of procedure was received and the appeal proceeded according to the timetable set out in the start letter which also explained the choice of procedure. The agent and the local planning authority submitted, as part of the appeal evidence, a statement of common ground which included agreement that the relevant requirements of paragraph 55 of the National Planning Policy Framework were satisfied.
	Upon receipt of the decision, dated 29 August 2013, the appellant lodged an appeal with the High Court as he felt the requirements of paragraph 55 of the National Planning Policy Framework were satisfied, whereas the inspector had found they were not, and that this information could have been examined verbally had the procedure been a hearing.
	To allow for procedural fairness, it was agreed by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government that the appeal would be re-determined by a different inspector and would follow a hearing or public inquiry once representations and considerations had been sought from the principal parties. A date for the hearing event has been fixed for 23 July 2014.

EDUCATION

Academies

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what the (a) average, (b) shortest and (c) longest time taken was to issue a direction to admit a child to an academy by the Education Funding Agency, since the creation of that agency;
	(2)  how many requests for directions to admit a child to an academy were received by the Education Funding Agency in 2010; and how many such directions were issued.

Edward Timpson: The Education Funding Agency was created on 1 April 2012. Since then, it has issued four directions to admit to academies. The average time taken to issue these directions was 78 working days. The shortest time was 42 and the longest 142 working days.
	In each case, the EFA encourages academies and local authorities to resolve the matter locally without the need for a formal direction and in most cases this happens. Where a local resolution is not reached, the EFA gathers evidence from the complainant and the academy before issuing its decision.

Academies

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what support his Department is providing for school governors during their school’s transition to academy status; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Timpson: The Department for Education provides advice for governors, which is published online at:
	www.gov.uk/government/publications/becoming-an-academy-top-tips-for-governors
	When a school applies to become an academy, it is allocated a named project lead who provides additional support and can attend governing body meetings.

Academies

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to allow academy trusts to raise capital finance based on the value of school title deeds.

Edward Timpson: As is the case with all schools, academies receive capital funding through devolved formula capital allocations. Academies also receive capital funding through the academies capital maintenance fund. Academies are not allowed to borrow and there are strict rules protecting publicly-funded land used by academies, regardless of who holds the freehold. This is set out in guidance, which is published online at:
	www.gov.uk/government/publications/protection-of-school-playing-fields-and-public-land-advice

Apprentices

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many apprentices have been employed by contractors and sub-contractors to his Department in each year since 2010-11; and what proportion such apprentices make up of the workforce of those contractors and sub-contractors.

Elizabeth Truss: The information requested is not held centrally.

Basic Skills

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment his Department has made of levels of literacy and numeracy in (a) primary school leavers and (b) secondary school leavers in (i) Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency, (ii) Yorkshire and the Humber, (iii) the North of England and (iv) England in each of the last five years.

David Laws: Key stage 2 national curriculum assessment statistics are available online at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-key-stage-2
	GCSE attainment statistics are available online at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-gcses-key-stage-4
	Attainment statistics by Parliamentary constituency are available online at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/inyourarea/
	Information on pupils at the end of key stage 4 achieving A*-C grades in English and mathematics GCSEs in the areas requested, and information on key stage 2 achievement in the areas requested has been placed in the House Library.

Children in Care

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many young people who entered care at each age and who left care at 16 or older and who did not return to their birth parents had been taken into care because of (a) abuse or neglect, (b) child’s disability, (c) parents’ illness or disability, (d) family in acute stress, (e) family dysfunction, (f) socially unacceptable behaviour, (g) low income, (h) absent parenting and (i) any other reason in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Edward Timpson: Children aged 16 years and over who ceased to be looked after during the year ending 31 March 2013 by age on entering care and category of need is shown in the following table. Figures exclude children who returned home to live with parents or relatives on ceasing to be looked after.
	
		
			 Children aged 16 and over who ceased to be looked after during the year ending 31 March 2013, who did not return home to live with parents or relatives, by age at the start of their last period of care, and category of need1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, England 
			 Number 
			  Abuse or neglect Child’s disability Parents’ illness or disability Family in acute stress Family dysfunction Socially unacceptable behaviour Low income Absent parenting 
			 Age on entering care (years) 2,210 70 130 210 310 50 x 60 
			 Under 1 50 x 10 x 10 x x 0 
			 1 70 x x x x 0 0 x 
			 2 90 x x x 10 0 0 x 
			 3 120 x 10 x x x 0 x 
			 4 160 x x 10 20 0 0 x 
			 5 170 x 10 10 20 0 0 x 
			 6 180 x 20 20 20 0 0 10 
			 7 200 10 10 20 20 x 0 10 
			 8 220 10 20 20 30 x 0 x 
			 9 190 10 10 20 30 x 0 x 
			 10 190 x 10 20 40 x x x 
			 11 150 10 10 10 20 10 0 0 
			 12 120 x 10 20 20 x x x 
			 13 90 x 10 20 30 x 0 x 
			 14 110 10 x 20 20 10 x x 
			 15 80 10 x 10 20 10 0 x 
			 16 20 x x 10 x x 0 0 
		
	
	
		
			 17 10 0 0 x 0 0 0 x 
			 x = Figures not shown in order to protect confidentiality. 1 Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. 2 Figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short-term placements. 3 Figures only include children who were taken into care, i.e. children who started to be looked after under a care order, police protection, emergency protection order or child assessment order. 4 The most applicable category of the eight “Need Codes” at the time the child started to be looked after rather than necessarily the entire reason they were looked after. 5 Only the last occasion on which a child ceased to be looked after in the year has been counted. 6 Figures exclude children who returned home to live with parents or relatives on ceasing to be looked after. Source: SSDA903.

Children: Protection

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which overseas counterparts have complained to the Government about matters relating to adoption, care proceedings or other matters relating to child protection in the UK; and what the substance of those complaints was.

Edward Timpson: Data on the overall number of contacts from equivalent Departments overseas are not collated centrally within the Department for Education.
	Over the past year, however, Government officials have held positive discussions, covering a wide range of international child safeguarding issues, with representatives from a number of European nations including Poland, the Slovak Republic, and the Czech Republic.

Class Sizes: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the pupil-teacher ratio was in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in York Unitary Authority area in 2008-09 and in each year since.

David Laws: The following table provides the pupil to teacher ratios (PTR) in publicly-funded primary and secondary schools in York local authority, in each January, 2008 to 2010 and November 2010 to 2012, which is the latest information available. 2013 figures will be available in late July 2014.
	Figures for November 2010 and later are not comparable to those in January 2010 and earlier due to the change in the data collection to the School Workforce Census .
	
		
			  York 
			  Primary PTR1 Secondary PTR1 
			 January   
			 2008 21.4 15.7 
			 2009 21.6 15.7 
			 2010 21.8 15.3 
			    
			 November   
			 20102 24.6 16.0 
			 20113 23.7 15.5 
			 2012 22.8 15.0 
			 1 Up to January 2010 PTRs are calculated by dividing the total full-time equivalent (FTE) number of sole registered pupils on roll in schools by the total FTE number of qualified teachers regularly employed in schools. From November 2010 figures are calculated using the FTE number of sole and dual registered pupils on roll. 2 In the November 2010 the source of the teacher numbers upon which the PTR is calculated was changed to the School Workforce Census. The completeness of the November 2010 teacher numbers for York local authority is in question as teacher numbers fell compared with the previous January 2010 figure based on the School Census and this is reflected in the higher PTR figures for the year. Subsequent teacher numbers reported by the authority in 2012 have seen the numbers return to previous levels. 3 Excludes one secondary school in York which did not provide a return for inclusion in these figures. Source: School Workforce Census and School Census

Creationism and Evolution

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether an independent school (a) teaching creationism and (b) failing to teach evolution as an established scientific theory would lead to it receiving a lower rating under the independent schools inspection framework; and if he will make a statement.

David Laws: Registered independent schools must meet the independent school standards. These state that the curriculum must give pupils experience in
	‘linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical, and aesthetic and creative education’.
	Science must therefore be included in the curriculum. Ofsted and the independent school inspectorates inspect independent schools against these standards.

Education Funding Agency

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education for what reason it is not possible for telephone callers to be put through to the Education Funding Agency.

Edward Timpson: Most inquiries for the Education Funding Agency received by the Department for Education’s national helpline are about financial matters or invoice queries which are best handled by e-mail. Callers are provided with the appropriate e-mail address. For other inquiries, the national helpline operator contacts the academies inquiry service on the caller’s behalf, or puts them through to that service. If the caller wishes to speak to a named individual in the Department, the operator makes contact with the individual (or, in the case of senior managers, with their PA) and transfers the call if appropriate.

Free School Meals: Ashfield

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) primary school pupils and (b) infant school pupils in Ashfield constituency received free school meals in each of the last five years.

David Laws: Information on the number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals in state-funded nursery and primary schools is published in the “Schools, pupils and their characteristics: January 2014” statistical first release, which is published online at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2014
	Table 8a shows local authority level information; information is not published at parliamentary constituency level.
	Information for 2010 to 2013 can be found in previous versions of this release, which are published online at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-school-and-pupil-numbers

Higher Education: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much mainstream grant funding was allocated by the Training and Development Agency for Schools to (a) the University of York and (b) York St John University in (i) cash terms and (ii) at constant prices in 2000-01 and in each year since.

David Laws: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 9 July 2013, Official Report, column 232W.
	The latest figures available are provided as follows.
	
		
			 £ 
			  Mainstream Funding 
			 Academic Year University of York York St John 
			 2013/14 0 610,470

Pupils: Per Capita Costs

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding each school received per pupil in the latest year for which figures are available.

David Laws: We now publish the schools block budget allocations in total and on a per-pupil basis annually, for every individual mainstream school, covering both maintained schools and academies. The most recent available figures are for the 2013 to 2014 financial year (for maintained schools) and 2013 to 2014 academic year (for academies) and are published at:
	http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/xlsx/s/schools%20block%20data%20file.xlsx
	The schools block budget allocations exclude early years, high needs and post-16 funding. They also exclude the pupil premium. For academies, per-pupil funding amounts exclude education services grants and insurance top-up funding.

Schools

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education under what circumstances gender segregation of boys and girls in the classroom is permitted in schools; and if he will issue revised guidance on this matter to Ofsted.

David Laws: A co-educational school adopting a policy of separation on the basis of sex, which treated girls less favourably than boys (or vice versa), would be acting unlawfully under the Equality Act 2010. The Department for Education has issued advice to schools on the application of the Equality Act 2010:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-2010-advice-for-schools
	As this guidance states, it is possible to justify separate classes in exceptional circumstances, for example in delivering elements of sex and relationship education, or for PE. In all other cases, the Department expects co-educational schools to teach boys and girls in mixed classes and not to treat them differently because of their gender.
	Inspectors take into account guidance issued to schools by the Department, including the existing guidance on the Equality Act 2010. We would expect them to question a school about any segregation of pupils by gender to ensure that this is only taking place in exceptional circumstances as outlined by the Equality Act.

Schools

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which schools offer all-through provision to pupils from reception to year 13.

David Laws: Information on the number of pupils in each national curriculum year group in each state-funded school was published on 12 June 2014 in “Schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2014”. It is published online at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2014
	The following table shows the 51 state-funded mainstream schools that had at least one pupil in reception and at least one pupil in year 13 in January 2014.
	
		
			 School name School type Local authority area 
			 The Business Academy Bexley Sponsored academy Bexley 
			 Waverley School Community school Birmingham 
			 Bolton St Catherine's Academy Sponsored academy Bolton 
			 Appleton Academy Sponsored academy Bradford 
			 Bradford Academy Sponsored academy Bradford 
			 Bradford Girls' Grammar School Free school Bradford 
		
	
	
		
			 Dixons Allerton Academy Sponsored academy Bradford 
			 Preston Manor School Converter academy Brent 
			 Merchants' Academy Sponsored academy Bristol City of 
			 St Michael's Catholic School Voluntary Aided School Buckinghamshire 
			 The Aylesbury Vale Academy Sponsored academy Buckinghamshire 
			 Oasis Academy Shirley Park Sponsored academy Croydon 
			 Dartmouth Academy Sponsored academy Devon 
			 Alec Reed Academy Sponsored academy Ealing 
			 Edmonton County School Community school Enfield 
			 Oasis Academy Hadley Sponsored academy Enfield 
			 Samuel Ryder Academy Sponsored academy Hertfordshire 
			 Guru Nanak Sikh Academy Converter academy Hillingdon 
			 Rosedale College Converter academy Hillingdon 
			 St Mary Magdalene Academy Sponsored academy Islington 
			 Folkestone Academy Sponsored academy Kent 
			 The John Wallis Church of England Academy Sponsored academy Kent 
			 Batley Grammar School Free school Kirklees 
			 Dunraven School Converter academy Lambeth 
			 Carr Manor Community School, Specialist Sports College Community school Leeds 
			 Roundhay School Community school Leeds 
			 Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College Sponsored academy Lewisham 
			 Haberdashers' Aske's Knights Academy Sponsored academy Lewisham 
			 Priory Witham Academy Sponsored academy Lincolnshire 
			 Liverpool College Sponsored academy Liverpool 
			 William Hulme's Grammar School Sponsored academy Manchester 
			 Excelsior Academy Sponsored academy Newcastle upon Tyne 
			 Iceni Academy Sponsored academy Norfolk 
			 Kings Priory School Sponsored academy North Tyneside 
			 Caroline Chisholm School Converter academy Northamptonshire 
			 DSLV E-ACT Academy Sponsored academy Northamptonshire 
			 Kettering Buccleuch Academy Sponsored academy Northamptonshire 
			 Kettering Science Academy Sponsored academy Northamptonshire 
			 Bede Academy Sponsored academy Northumberland 
			 Northumberland CofE Academy Sponsored academy Northumberland 
			 Nottingham Academy Sponsored academy Nottingham 
			 Serlby Park Academy Sponsored academy Nottinghamshire 
			 St Gregory the Great Catholic Secondary School Converter academy Oxfordshire 
			 Hampton College Community school Peterborough 
			 Loxford School of Science and Technology Converter academy Redbridge 
			 The Ridings Federation Yate International Academy Sponsored academy South Gloucestershire 
			 Grindon Hall Christian School Free school Sunderland 
			 Swindon Academy Sponsored academy Swindon 
			 The Mirus Academy Sponsored academy Walsall 
			 Birkenhead High School Academy Sponsored academy Wirral 
			 The Piggott School Converter academy Wokingham

Schools: Drugs

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many teaching assistants administer medicine to children in local authority schools in England.

David Laws: The Department for Education does not collect this data.

Schools: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) teachers, (b) teaching assistants and (c) support staff there were in York unitary authority area in 2008-09 and in each year since.

David Laws: The following table provides the full-time equivalent number of teachers, teaching assistants and support staff employed in publicly-funded schools in York local authority in January 2008 to 2010 and November 2010 to 2012.
	Figures for November 2010 and later are not comparable to those in January 2010 and earlier due to the change in the data collection to the School Workforce Census.
	
		
			  January November 
			  2008 2009 2010 2010 20111 2012 
			 Teachers2 1,357 1,339 1,358 1,250 1,268 1,354 
			 Teaching Assistants3 561 590 578 n/a 628 681 
			 Support Staff2 344 325 358 n/a 329 386 
			 n/a = Not available 1 Excludes one school in York which did not provide a return for inclusion in these figures. 2 Sources-Form 618g up to January 2010, School Workforce Census from November 2010. 3 Sources-School Census up to January 2010, School Workforce Census from November 2010.

Security

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether all employees of his Department are required to return their departmental pass when they cease working for his Department.

Elizabeth Truss: Staff passes of people who no longer work for the Department are required to be returned or deactivated.

Special Educational Needs

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 23 June 2014, Official Report, column 83W, on special educational needs, 
	(1)  how many local authorities have provided extra funding to assist schools with a disproportionate number of pupils with special educational needs in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how much local authorities have spent on providing extra funding for schools with a disproportionate number of pupils with special educational needs in each of the last five years.

Edward Timpson: The information requested is not collected centrally at this level of detail.

Teachers: Males

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which secondary schools which were not girls' schools had fewer than 10 per cent of their qualified full-time teachers as males in the most recent year for which figures are available.

David Laws: The latest information available is published in the file of data underlying the School Workforce in England statistical first release, November 2012 at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-workforce-in-england-november-2012
	On 23 July, the information will be updated to November 2013 and published at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-workforce-in-england-november-2013

Teachers: Males

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many boys who were (a) eligible and (b) not eligible for free school meals attended a primary school at which there were (i) one, (ii) two and (iii) three male full-time equivalent teachers in the most recent year for which figures are available.

David Laws: The following table provides the number of boys1 on roll in publicly funded primary schools2 who were eligible and not eligible for free school meals in those schools with one, two and three full-time equivalent male teachers.
	
		
			 FTE number of teachers3 Boys known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Boys known not to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 1 73,800 379,400 
			 2 81,500 391,100 
			 3 63,000 278,300 
			 1 Boys who have full time attendance and are aged 15 or under, or pupils who have part time attendance and are aged between 5 and 15. Includes sole and dual registered pupils. 2 Includes primary local authority maintained, academies and free schools. 3 Includes the proportion of full-time equivalent hours of a full-time teacher for part-time teachers and therefore the headcount number in service may be more than shown. Sources: Pupils: School Census, January 2014. Teachers: School Workforce Census, November 2013. 
		
	
	Under this Government more men are becoming primary school teachers-the proportion of primary teacher trainees who are men has increased from 18% in 2010 to 21% in 2013.

Teachers: Veterans

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 26 June 2014, Official Report, column 227W, on teachers: veterans, how many people joined the Troops to Teachers programme from start of the training scheme in September 2013 following its launch in June 2013; and how many people joined the scheme through the earlier pilot programme.

David Laws: Following the Secretary of State’s announcement in June 2013, the Troops to Teachers training programme commenced in January 2014 with 41 service leavers. There was no pilot programme prior to this.

Teachers: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the gross average salary was of a full-time teacher in local authority schools in the City of York in (a) cash and (b) real terms in 1995-96 and in each year since.

David Laws: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 10 July 2013, Official Report, column 297W, which provided the gross average salary of full-time regular qualified teachers in service in local authority maintained schools in cash terms and real terms for York local authority, in each March, 1997 to 2009 and November 2010 to November 2011.
	The gross average salary of full-time regular qualified teachers in service in local authority maintained schools in cash terms and real terms for York local authority, in November 2012 is £36,200 in both cash and real terms (rounded to the nearest £100). Figures cover all primary, secondary and special local authority maintained schools that were open but exclude academies. 2013 figures will be available in late July 2014. The source of this information is the November 2012 School Workforce Census.
	Real terms figures were calculated from HMT GDP deflators, financial year, published on 1 April 2014 at the following web link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/gdp-deflators-at-market-prices-and-money-gdp

HEALTH

Abortion

Simon Reevell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to ensure that evidence of breaches of the Abortion Act 1967 arising from incomplete abortion notification HSA4 forms is referred to the relevant authorities; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 18 June 2014, Official Report, column 611W, on abortion, how many of the forms returned to registered medical practitioners are pending completion; and what steps he plans to take to ensure that evidence of breaches of the Abortion Act 1967 is referred to the relevant authorities.

Jane Ellison: The Department has recently issued guidance to help clinicians comply with the requirements of the Abortion Act, including their obligations with regard to the completing of HSA4 forms.
	Incorrectly filled in HSA4 forms are returned to the terminating practitioner by the Department of Health until such information is corrected. Establishing the number of forms returned between 2009 and 2013 still pending completion can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) people, (b) people under 18, (c) people under 16 and (d) people under 12 (i) attended and (ii) were admitted via accident and emergency departments for excessive consumption of alcohol in each year since 2010.

Jane Ellison: Data is not collected centrally for those attending Accident and Emergency (A&E) for excessive consumption of alcohol
	The following tables contain the sum of the estimated alcohol attributable fractions (AAFs) for (a) all age groups (b) people under 18, (c) people under 16 and (d) people under 12 that (ii) were admitted via A&E for excessive consumption of alcohol in each year since 2010.
	It should be noted that these figures are not a count of people and represent an estimated number of admissions that were attributable to alcohol.
	AAFs are based on the proportion of a given diagnosis or injury that is estimated to be attributed to alcohol. Some diagnoses or injuries will, by definition, be wholly attributable to alcohol and have an AAF of one, others will only be partly attributable to alcohol and have an AAF greater than zero, but less than one. Diagnoses or injuries that are not attributable at all to alcohol will have an AAF of zero.
	These figures are derived by summing all AAFs for the relevant admissions and should therefore only be interpreted as an estimate of the number of admissions that can be attributed to alcohol.
	In addition, partial AAFs are not applicable to children aged under 16 years, therefore, figures for this age group relate only to wholly-attributable admissions.
	
		
			 Sum of wholly AAFs for admissions1 via A&E, for (a) all age groups (b) people under 18, (c) people under 16 and (d) people under 12 for the years 2009-10 to 2012-132 
			  Ages 
			  0-11 0-15 0-17 All ages 
			 2009-10 150 3,599 6,595 209,772 
			 2010-11 111 3,017 5,952 222,478 
			 2011-12 110 2,493 5,007 233,447 
			 2012-13 102 2,084 4,175 225,383 
		
	
	
		
			 Sum of partially AAFs for admissions1 via A&E, for (a) all age groups and people between the ages 16 -17, for the years 2009 -10 to 2012-132 
			  Ages 
			  16-17 All ages 
			 2009-10 4,224.02 336,058.00 
			 2010-11 4,226.78 363,238.01 
			 2011-12 3,958.53 372,613.81 
			 2012-13 3,717.20 384,510.84 
		
	
	
		
			 Sum of wholly and partially AAFs for admissions1 via A&E, for (a) all age groups (b) people under 18, (c) people under 16 and (d) people under 12 for the years 2009-10 to 2012-132 
			  Ages 
			  0-11 0-15 0-17 All ages 
			 2009-10 150 3,599 10,819 545,830 
			 2010-11 111 3,017 10,179 585,716 
			 2011-12 110 2,493 8,966 606,061 
			 2012-13 102 2,084 7,892 609,894 
			 Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector. 1Alcohol–related admissions The number of alcohol-related admissions is based on the methodology developed by the North West Public Health Observatory (NWPHO), which uses 48 indicators for alcohol-related illnesses, determining the proportion of a wide range of diseases and injuries that can be partly attributed to alcohol as well as those that are, by definition, wholly attributable to alcohol. Further information on these proportions can be found at: www.nwph.net/nwpho/publications/AlcoholAttributableFractions.pdf The AAF is set to 1 (100%) where the admission is considered to be entirely due to alcohol, eg in the case of alcoholic liver disease - these records are described as wholly alcohol attributable. The AAF is set to a value greater than 0 but less than 1 according to the NWPHO definition, eg the alcohol fraction of an admission with a primary diagnosis of C00-malignant neoplasm of lip, where the patient is male and between 65 and 74 is 0.44 -these records are described as partly alcohol attributable. These wholly and partly attributable fractions can be aggregated to supply an estimate of activity which can be considered wholly or partly attributable to alcohol. Partly AAFs are not applicable to children under 16. Therefore, figures for this age group relate only to wholly-attributable admissions, where the attributable fraction is one. 2 Assessing growth through time (Admitted patient care) Hospital Episode Statistic figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage (particularly in earlier years), improvements in coverage of independent sector activity (particularly from 2006-07) and changes in NHS practice. For example, changes in activity may be due to changes in the provision of care. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care

Ambulance Services: Cotswold Hills

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the ambulance response times in the Cotswolds were for (a) Red One, (b) Red Two, (c) Green One and (d) Green Two cases in the latest month for which figures are available; and what the figures were in each such category in the last month for which figures are available prior to the merger with the South West Ambulance Trust;
	(2)  for what reasons Gloucestershire clinical commissioning group was allowed to alter its contract with South West Ambulance Trust to reduce average ambulance response times; and what effect reduction will have on ambulance response times in the Cotswolds.

Jane Ellison: We are advised by NHS England that the Gloucestershire clinical commissioning group has not altered its contract with South West Ambulance Services NHS Foundation Trust to reduce average ambulance response times.
	The information requested is shown in the following tables.
	
		
			 Ambulance response times in the Cotswolds for January 2013 (Great Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust) 
			 Type of response Number of responses Percentage of calls that met required standard 
			 Red One 700 75.7 
			 Red Two 9,208 75.0 
			 Green One 1,059 87.2 
			 Green Two 5,067 81.7 
			 Source: NHS England. 
		
	
	
		
			 Ambulance response times in the Cotswolds for April 2014 (South West Ambulance Services NHS Foundation Trust, north only) 
			 Type of response Number of responses Percentage of calls that met required standard 
			 Red One 691 71.4 
			 Red Two 9,550 74.4 
			 Green One 1,302 85.3 
			 Green Two 6,191 88.0 
			 Source: NHS England.

Autism

Andrew McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many adults with autism accessed care and support under the Fair Access to Care Standards eligibility criteria in Middlesbrough in each year since 2010.

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many adults with autism accessed care and support under the Fair Access to Care Standards eligibility criteria in Stretford and Urmston constituency in each year since 2010.

Norman Lamb: The Health and Social Care Information Centre does not collect any data on the number of adults with autism accessing care and support under the Fair Access to Care Services eligibility criteria.

Cancer: Screening

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what discussions his Department has had with Public Health England and NHS England on measures to ensure early diagnosis of rare cancers in the last (a) six and (b) 12 months;
	(2)  how much funding his Department has allocated to Public Health England and NHS England for promotion of early detection for rare cancers in the last (a) six and (b) 12 months.

Jane Ellison: Measures to ensure early diagnosis of cancer, including rarer cancers, are discussed monthly by the Public Awareness and Primary Care Steering Group. The group is chaired by NHS England’s National Clinical Director for Cancer and has members representing Public Health England (PHE—Marketing and National Cancer Intelligence Network); NHS England, NHS Improving Quality; Cancer Research UK; Macmillan Cancer Support; Department of Health officials and other stakeholders.
	Within the last 12 months, PHE ran campaigns on five rarer cancers: the “blood in pee” campaign for bladder and kidney cancer; the “persistent bloating” campaign for ovarian cancer and; the “persistent heartburn” campaign for oesophago-gastric cancer (oesophageal and stomach). PHE’s advertising spend on these campaigns was around £3 million.
	In 2013-14, NHS England made £2.3 million available to Strategic Clinical Networks to support early diagnosis of cancer, including supporting the Be Clear on Cancer campaigns. In addition, the Department funds the National Cancer Intelligence Network around £600,000 a year to undertake evaluation of the campaigns. These funds form part of the £450 million additional funding over four years for early diagnosis of cancer as set out in ‘Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer’ (2011).

Cardiovascular System: Diseases

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce the amount of statins prescribed through the NHS.

Norman Lamb: There are no current plans to reduce the amount of statins prescribed through the national health service.

Care Homes: Fees and Charges

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it the policy of the Government to prevent nursing homes and residential rest homes charging lower fees for residents funded by local authorities than for residents who are self-funding; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: Contracting arrangements between local authorities and independent sector care homes are a matter for local negotiation and decision. The Government does not set or recommend the level of the fees that local authorities pay.
	We would expect decisions taken by councils commissioning care home places to be made on the basis of judgments about quality, best value and the outcomes for individual residents. Local authorities are major purchasers of care home places and are often able to negotiate very competitive rates with care providers.
	Providers are free to decide the rates they offer to residents whose care has not been arranged by a local authority. Contractual arrangements in these circumstances are entirely a matter between the care home operator and the individual resident.

Darent Valley Hospital

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding his Department provided to Darent Valley Hospital in each of the last seven years.

Daniel Poulter: The information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust—Revenue from Department of Health 
			  £000s 
			 2012-13 20 
			 2011-12 0 
			 2010-11 0 
		
	
	
		
			 2009-10 0 
			 2008-09 12,366 
			 2007-08 12,086 
			 2006-07 11,714 
			 Notes: 1. Financial accounting information is collected from each NHS trust, and figures are not disaggregated further by individual hospitals. 2. The table provided, sourced from the Trust's audited summarisation schedules submitted annually to the Department, summarises the income received for each year from 2006-07 onwards. Audited figures for 2013-14 will be available later this year, once the Department's Annual Report and Accounts are laid before Parliament. Source: Audited summarisation schedules, 2006-07 to 2012-13

Diseases

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the UK have been diagnosed with (a) allergies, (b) asthma and (c) eczema in each of the last five years.

Norman Lamb: Annual incidence data for allergies, asthma and eczema is not collected.
	NHS England’s service specification for specialised allergy includes an estimate of 20 million people in the United Kingdom being affected by allergenic disease at some point in their lives. The severe asthma service specification includes an estimate of more than 5 million for the number in the UK affected by asthma.
	Atopic eczema is the most common form of the condition, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence clinical guidance “Frequency of application of topical corticosteroids for atopic eczema”, published in 2004, suggests that it may affect 15–20% of school-age children and 2–10% of adults.

Diversion of Individuals with Mental Health Problems from the Criminal Justice System and Prison Rev

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the recommendations of the Bradley Report five years on, published in June 2014.

Norman Lamb: The Bradley Report from 2009 continues to inform policy discussions between Ministers and officials from the Department and across Government, and with NHS England and stakeholder members of the Bradley Report Group.
	We will consider the reports of progress and further recommendations in ‘The Bradley Report five years on’ and consider with the Ministry of Justice, Home Office and NHS England any implications for future policy development.
	A copy of ‘The Bradley Report five years on’has been placed in the Library.

Eyesight

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the UK lost their eyesight in each of the last five years; and what the reasons were for each loss of sight.

Daniel Poulter: Information on the number of people who are registered as blind or partially sighted is published every three years by the Health and Social Care Information Centre. The following table gives the information from the 2008 and 2011 reports.
	
		
			 Number of people registered as blind or partially sighted as at 31 March 2008 and 31 March 2011 
			  Blind Partially sighted 
			 2008 152,980 156,285 
			 2011 147,810 151,010 
			 Source: www.hscic.gov.uk/article/2021/Website-Search?productid=1840&q= Registered+Blind+and+Partially+Sighted+People+england&sort= Relevance&size=10&page=1&area=both#top 
		
	
	The Public Health Outcomes Framework launched in 2012 includes an indicator on preventable sight loss which tracks sight loss due to the three main causes of preventable sight loss including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. Data has been published for 2010-11 and 2011-12 and a summary of this data is as follows:
	
		
			 Sight loss indicators for England per 100,000 population 
			 Indicator Age 2010-11 2011-12 
			 4.12i—Preventable sight loss—age-related macular degeneration (AMD) 65+ years 110 111 
			 4.12ii—Preventable sight loss—glaucoma 40+ years 12 13 
			 4.12iii—Preventable sight loss—diabetic eye disease 12+ years 4 4 
			 4.12iv—Preventable sight loss—sight loss certifications All ages 43 44 
			 Source: www.phoutcomes.info/public-health-outcomes-framework#gid/1000044/pat/6/ati/102/page/9/par/E12000007/are/E09000002 Definitions of sight loss indicators: Indicator 1 4.12i—Crude rate of sight loss due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in those aged 65+ per 100,000 populations. Definition New Certifications of Visual Impairment (CVI) due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) aged 65+, rate per 100,000 populations. The numerator counts for this indicator includes sight loss due to AMD as the main cause or if no main cause as a contributory cause. Indicator 2 4.12ii—Crude rate of sight loss due to glaucoma in those aged 40+ per 100,000 population. Definition New Certifications of Visual Impairment (CVI) due to glaucoma aged 40+, rate per 100,000 population. The numerator counts for this indicator includes sight loss due to glaucoma as the main cause or if no main cause as a contributory cause. Indicator 3 4.12iii—Crude rate of sight loss due to diabetic eye disease in those aged 12+ per 100,000 population Definition New Certifications of Visual Impairment (CVI) due to diabetic eye disease aged 12+, rate per 100,000 population. The numerator counts for this indicator includes sight loss due to diabetic eye disease as the main cause or if no main cause as a contributory cause. (These are not counts of diabetics with visual impairments due to any cause). Indicator 4 4.12iv—Crude rate of sight loss certifications per 100,000 population Definition New Certifications of Visual Impairment (CVI), rate per 100,000 population. The indicator relates completions of CVI (all causes—preventable and non-preventable) by a consultant ophthalmologist; this initiates the process of registration with a local authority and leads to access to services. Rationale The indicators relate to one of the three main eye diseases, which can result in blindness or partial sight if not diagnosed and treated in time. These are age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. Source: www.phoutcomes.info/public-health-outcomes-framework#gid/1000044/pat/6/ati/102/page/6/par/E12000007/are/E09000002

General Practitioners: Telephone Services

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to enable surgeries to end contracts to use 0844 numbers early.

Daniel Poulter: Regulations introduced in 2010 prevented general practitioner practices from entering into, renewing or extending a contract for telephone services unless it was satisfied that, looking at the arrangements as a whole, patients would not pay more to make calls to the practice than they would to make calls to a geographical number.
	It is for NHS England to ensure that practices are meeting the terms of their contracting arrangements.

Hepatitis: Children

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children aged (a) under 10 and (b) 10 and over were admitted to hospital with a (i) primary and (ii) secondary diagnosis of viral hepatitis in each year since 1997.

Jane Ellison: The Health and Social Care Information Centre collects data on the number of hospital admission episodes for hepatitis C. This does not reflect the actual number of children admitted to hospital, because the same child may have had more than one admission episode within the same time period. The data held by the Health and Social Care Information Centre are as follows:
	
		
			  Primary Diagnosis Secondary Diagnosis 
			  Age 0 to 9 Age 10 to 17 Age 0 to 9 Age 10 to 17 
			 1997-98 153 143 71 97 
			 1998-99 128 97 63 82 
			 1999-2000 184 152 39 83 
			 2000-01 118 125 42 95 
			 2001-02 117 105 36 65 
			 2002-03 128 129 48 59 
			 2003-04 117 107 46 88 
			 2004-05 97 99 45 66 
			 2005-06 60 75 59 88 
			 2006-07 101 120 109 86 
			 2007-08 116 96 58 134 
			 2008-09 132 116 30 132 
			 2009-10 86 96 48 106 
			 2010-11 113 100 53 124 
			 2011-12 106 112 42 92 
			 2012-13 117 141 36 138

Hospitals: Admissions

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in England aged (a) under 11, (b) 11 to 16, (c) under 18 and (d) 18 years and over were admitted to each hospital with (i) symptoms of alcohol poisoning, (ii) symptoms of substance abuse, (iii) stab wounds and (iv) gunshot wounds in the last year for which figures are available.

Jane Ellison: Tables which show the number of finished admission episodes with a relevant diagnosis for all patients treated in England, by the hospital provider in which they were treated have been placed in the Library. The information is broken down into the following age groups:
	Under 11 years
	11 to 16 years
	Under 18 years
	18 years and over
	Unknown
	These data are not a count of people as the same person may have been admitted on more than one occasion in any given time period.

Housing: Mental Illness

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the housing needs of people who have mental health conditions who are (a) released from prison, (b) discharged from secure hospitals to the community and (c) on community sentences; and what steps he is taking to address those needs.

Norman Lamb: No assessment has been made by the Department of the housing needs of people with mental health conditions who are released from prison, who are discharged from secure hospitals to the community or who are serving community sentences.
	Most people discharged from detention in secure hospitals under either section 3 or Part 3 of the Mental Health Act 1983 (the Act) will have a care plan and satisfy the criteria for free mental health after-care under section 117 of the Act, including accommodation if that is part of their care plan.

Liver Diseases: Obesity

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the rate of obesity-related liver disease among adults was in the most recent period for which figures are available in each clinical commissioning group area.

Jane Ellison: The information requested is not available centrally. The Health and Social Care Information Centre has confirmed it is not possible to classify obesity-related liver disease using the International Classification of Diseases classification scheme in use in the hospital episode statistics database.

Medical Records

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the application form for Section 251 support made by the Health and Social Care Information Centre to the Confidentiality Advisory Group following completion of the pilot scheme on the main study of the What About YOUth?

Daniel Poulter: The Department of Health commissioned the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) to carry out the “What about YOUth?” (WAY) trial survey. A trial survey to test some of the processes and methodology was undertaken and this ran from November 2013 to February 2014. Ipsos Mori was commissioned to carry out the trial survey on behalf of the HSCIC. Following this and in preparation for the proposed main stage survey, an application for section 251 support was made to the Confidentiality Advisory Group, a copy of which has been placed in the Library. The application was not successful and HSCIC will be using the National Pupil Database as the sampling frame for the WAY main stage survey. We made an application for this to the Department for Education which was successful.

Medical Treatments

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 26 June 2014, Official Report, column 281W, on Medical Treatments, if he will provide the data requested for the four years from June 2010 on (a) the most plausible cost per quality adjusted life-year for each technology appraisal conducted by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, (b) the estimated eligible patient population for each appraisal indication, (c) whether the end-of-life criteria was applied in each final determination and (d) the date on which each such appraisal was (i) initiated and (ii) concluded.

Norman Lamb: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Members: Correspondence

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the total number of ministerial replies from his Department to hon. Members in a parliamentary session; and what proportion of such replies are sent (a) by letter and (b) by email.

Daniel Poulter: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), on 7 July 2014, Official Report, columns 5-6W.
	A search of the Department’s ministerial correspondence database has identified 17,068 ministerial replies sent to hon. Members in the 2013-14 parliamentary session. Of these, 16,687 were sent by letter and 201 were sent by e-mail.

Motor Vehicles: Smoking

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2014, Official Report, column 504W, on tobacco packaging, whether he plans to publish draft regulations to outlaw smoking in cars with children present in time for them to be made law before the end of March 2015.

Jane Ellison: As set out in my previous answer of 30 June 2014, Official Report, column 504W, regulations for making it an offence to smoke in private vehicles carrying children are being drafted at present.

Obesity

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) financial and (b) human resource his Department has made available to develop policies to tackle obesity in each year since 2010.

Jane Ellison: It is not possible to provide information about financial resources made available to develop policy to tackle obesity because a wide range of teams across the Department and other partners contribute to this policy.

Osteoporosis

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS trusts offer a screening programme for osteoporosis.

Norman Lamb: The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) advises Ministers and the national health service in all four countries about all aspects of screening policy and supports implementation.
	The UK NSC has reviewed the evidence for screening for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women and recommended that screening should not be offered. The UK NSC will review the evidence for screening again in 2016-17 as part of its three yearly review policy cycle.
	A preferred approach is to target higher risk groups (post-menopausal women, those on long term steroid use and after a first fracture). Prevention, assessment and treatment is covered in National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines as follows:
	http://pathways.nice.org.uk/pathways/osteoporosis
	www.nice.org.uk/guidance/TA160
	www.nice.org.uk/guidance/TA161
	www.nice.org.uk/guidance/CG146
	There is patient information on the management of and living with osteoporosis on NHS Choices website:
	www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Osteoporosis/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Parkinson's Disease

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the (a) British Medical Association and (b) Parkinson's Disease Society on possible links between Parkinson's disease and stomach upsets and illness.

Norman Lamb: No recent discussions have taken place between Ministers and either the British Medical Association or Parkinson's Disease Society on possible links between Parkinson's disease and stomach upsets and illness.

Personal Independence Payment

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make legislative proposals to amend the Care Act Part 1 regulations to ensure that the definition of assistance in the eligibility criteria for access to care and support is consistent with the definition of assistance in existing personal independence payment regulations.

Norman Lamb: The Care Act 2014 includes a power to make regulations to set the national eligibility criteria for adult care and support. The national eligibility threshold will provide a similar level of access to care and support when we move from the current system to the reformed system in April 2015.
	The Department is currently consulting on the draft regulations and statutory guidance that will support the implementation of the Care Act. This includes the draft eligibility regulations which set the level of the threshold, and your comments will be considered when we finalise the regulations. The public consultation started on 6 June and runs until 15 August 2014.

Spectacles

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people aged between (a) 1 and 16, (b) 17 and 30, (c) 31 and 50, (d) 51 and 65 and (e) over 65 years wore spectacles in each of the last five years.

Daniel Poulter: The Department does not collect data on the numbers of people who wear spectacles.

York Hospital

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full time equivalent (a) directly employed and (b) agency nurses there were at York Hospital on 1 April 2000 and each year since then.

Daniel Poulter: This information is not available in the format requested. The Health and Social Care Information Centre's non-medical workforce census does not collect the numbers of agency nurses. The figures in the following table are for directly employed nursing staff at York Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust only.
	
		
			 NHS and Hospital and Community Health Services : Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff in the York Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as at 30 September 2000-2013 and 31 March 2014 
			 Full-time equivalents 
			  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 March 2014 
			 York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 1,317 1,045 886 910 954 986 1,047 1,033 999 1,025 1,059 1,091 2,036 2,009 2,057 
			 Notes: Changes to the structure of the NHS during this period may have involved large transfers of staff between organisations. In particular the rise in numbers between 2011 and 2012 is due to the transfer of staff from Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Health Care NHS Trust and from North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust. March 2014 is the most recent available data. This data is provisional. Full time equivalent figures are rounded to the nearest whole number. These statistics relate to the contracted positions within English NHS organisations and may include those where the person assigned to the position is temporarily absent, for example on maternity leave. Data Quality: The Health and Social Care Information Centre seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality where changes impact on figures already published. This is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses. Monthly data: As from 21 July 2010 the Health and Social Care Information Centre has published provisional monthly NHS workforce data. As expected with provisional statistics, some figures may be revised from month to month as issues are uncovered and resolved. The monthly workforce data is not directly comparable with the annual workforce census; it only includes those staff on the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) (ie it does not include Primary care staff or Bank staff). There are also new methods of presenting data (headcount methodology is different and there is now a role count). This information is available from September 2009 onwards at the following website: www.hscic.gov.uk Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census. Health and Social Care Information Centre Provisional Monthly Workforce Statistics.

York Hospital

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the end of year (a) income and (b) expenditure of York Hospital in (i) cash terms and (ii) current prices in 1996-97 and each year since then.

Jane Ellison: The information is not available in the format requested.
	The income and expenditure of York Hospitals NHS Trust in the financial year 2006-07 is provided in the following table.
	
		
			 York Hospitals NHS Trust 
			  £000 
			 Income 181,011 
			 Expenditure 184,496 
			 Notes: 1. In common with many other public and private sector organisations the Department of Health only holds accounting data at organisation level for seven years, and therefore 2006-07 is the first year for which this data can be provided. 2. Data collected from the NHS is prepared on an accruals basis, and details of pure cash categories are not reported or collected centrally. Source: Data is taken from the audited summarisation schedules of NHS trusts, from which the NHS (England) Summarised Accounts were prepared for 2006-07 
		
	
	The Department does not collect data from individual NHS foundation trusts. York Hospitals NHS Trust gained Foundation Trust status on 1 April 2007. Data for the remaining years is available on the Trust’s website at the following address:
	www.yorkhospitals.nhs.uk/about_us/reports_and_publications/annual_report_york/
	Foundation trusts are also required to present their annual accounts and reports to Parliament. Copies are available from the Library.

York Hospital

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were on waiting lists for in-patient or day surgery at York Hospital on 1 April 1997 and on the same date in each subsequent year; and of these how many had waited longer than 18 weeks, 26 weeks and 52 weeks.

Jane Ellison: Data is not available in the format requested. The following table shows the number of patients waiting for elective admission at York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust each year from 1997 to 2010:
	
		
			 Month ending 31 March Number waiting at period end Number who had waited over 18 weeks Number who had waited over 26 weeks (six months) Number who had waited over 52 weeks (12 months) 
			 1997 6,846 n/a 1,317 0 
			 1998 8,445 n/a 2,744 384 
			 1999 6,715 n/a 1,641 0 
			 2000 6,477 n/a 1,752 73 
			 2001 6,317 n/a 1,884 0 
			 2002 6,354 n/a 1,900 0 
			 2003 6,425 n/a 1,711 0 
			 2004 5,714 n/a 826 0 
			 2005 5,211 n/a 532 0 
			 2006 4,738 n/a 0 0 
			 2007 3,055 129 0 0 
			 2008 2,536 43 0 0 
			 2009 2,675 103 0 0 
			 2010 2,336 44 0 0 
			 Notes: 1. Data on in-patient waiting lists not collected after March 2010. 2. Data collected in months up to 2006, and weeks thereafter. Therefore 18-week split not possible prior to 2006. Source: Department of Health KH07, Monthly monitoring return.

York Hospital

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were on waiting lists for in-patient or day surgery at York hospital (a) in total and (b) in each clinical speciality on 1 April 2000 and on the same date in each subsequent year.

Jane Ellison: Data is not available in the format requested. The following table shows the number of patients waiting for elective admission in each speciality at York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust at end of March in each year from 2000 to 2007, and the total number of patients waiting for elective admission to all specialities at end of March in each year from 2000 to 2010.
	
		
			 Month ending 31 March each year Specialty Number waiting at period end 
			 2000 General Surgery 1,202 
			 2000 Urology 533 
			 2000 Trauma and Orthopaedics 1,717 
			 2000 Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) 660 
			 2000 Ophthalmology 1,285 
			 2000 Oral Surgery 360 
			 2000 Anaesthetics 161 
			 2000 General Medicine 6 
			 2000 Dermatology 4 
			 2000 Gynaecology 549 
			 2000 Total 6,477 
			 2001 General Surgery 1,374 
			 2001 Urology 609 
			 2001 Trauma and Orthopaedics 1,610 
			 2001 ENT 779 
			 2001 Ophthalmology 1,210 
			 2001 Oral Surgery 142 
			 2001 Anaesthetics 87 
			 2001 General Medicine 5 
			 2001 Dermatology 6 
			 2001 Medical Oncology 1 
			 2001 Gynaecology 494 
			 2001 Total 6,317 
		
	
	
		
			 2002 General Surgery 1,236 
			 2002 Urology 614 
			 2002 Trauma and Orthopaedics 1,742 
			 2002 ENT 955 
			 2002 Ophthalmology 878 
			 2002 Oral Surgery 213 
			 2002 Anaesthetics 73 
			 2002 General Medicine 4 
			 2002 Dermatology 5 
			 2002 Medical Oncology 2 
			 2002 Gynaecology 632 
			 2002 Total 6,354 
			 2003 General Surgery 1,353 
			 2003 Urology 614 
			 2003 Trauma and Orthopaedics 1,959 
			 2003 ENT 592 
			 2003 Ophthalmology 703 
			 2003 Oral Surgery 315 
			 2003 Anaesthetics 65 
			 2003 General Medicine 16 
			 2003 Dermatology 3 
			 2003 Gynaecology 805 
			 2003 Total 6,425 
			 2004 General Surgery 1,185 
			 2004 Urology 565 
			 2004 Trauma and Orthopaedics 1,806 
			 2004 ENT 338 
			 2004 Ophthalmology 440 
			 2004 Oral Surgery 349 
			 2004 Anaesthetics 113 
			 2004 General Medicine 227 
			 2004 Gynaecology 691 
			 2004 Total 5,714 
			 2005 General Surgery 996 
			 2005 Urology 636 
			 2005 Trauma and Orthopaedics 1,500 
			 2005 ENT 322 
			 2005 Ophthalmology 453 
			 2005 Oral Surgery 315 
			 2005 Anaesthetics 209 
			 2005 General Medicine 186 
			 2005 Gynaecology 594 
			 2005 Total 5,211 
			 2006 General Surgery 960 
			 2006 Urology 620 
			 2006 Trauma and Orthopaedics 1,107 
			 2006 ENT 423 
			 2006 Ophthalmology 397 
			 2006 Oral Surgery 353 
			 2006 Anaesthetics 246 
			 2006 General Medicine 149 
			 2006 Medical Oncology 1 
			 2006 Gynaecology 482 
			 2006 Total 4,738 
			 2007 General Surgery 626 
			 2007 Urology 279 
			 2007 Trauma and Orthopaedics 474 
			 2007 ENT 264 
			 2007 Ophthalmology 418 
			 2007 Oral Surgery 242 
		
	
	
		
			 2007 Anaesthetics 285 
			 2007 General Medicine 164 
			 2007 Medical Oncology 3 
			 2007 Gynaecology 300 
			 2007 Total 3,055 
			 2008 Total 2,536 
			 2009 Total 2,675 
			 2010 Total 2,336 
			 Notes: 1. Data on in-patient waiting lists not collected after March 2010. 2. Specialty level data not collected after 2007. Source: Department of Health KH07, monthly monitoring return.

York Hospital

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of patients attending the accident and emergency department at York Hospital waited longer than four hours before seeing a doctor in 2009-10 and each year since then; and what the average waiting time was in each of those years.

Jane Ellison: Data is not available in the format requested. Information as is available is shown as follows. Table 1 shows the number and percentage of patients waiting more than four hours for discharge, admission, or transfer from York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust accident and emergency (A&E) departments: Table 2 shows the mean and median waiting times for assessment, treatment, and departure at A&E departments at York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
	
		
			 Table 1 
			  Total A&E Attendances Number of attendances of over four hours from arrival to discharge, admission or transfer Percentage waiting more than four hours 
			 2009-10 71,493 1,686 2.4 
			 2010-11 74,212 2,751 3.7 
			 2011-12 118,628 3,717 3.1 
			 2012-13 162,098 8,582 5.3 
			 2013-14 178,160 9,050 5.1 
			 Note: Figures after June 2012 include activity from the former Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust. Source: Quarterly A&E (QMAE) data up to 2010-11, weekly A&E sitreps from 2011-12 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2 
			  Mean duration to assessment Median duration to assessment Mean duration to treatment Median duration to treatment Mean duration to departure Median duration to departure 
			 2007-08 23.3 17 23.1 17 120.0 102 
			 2008-09 24.1 17 24.0 17 116.0 99 
			 2009-10 27.1 19 26.8 19 112.7 100 
			 2010-11 30.9 22 30.5 22 118.0 105 
			 2011-12 24.8 15 55.7 39 95.0 77 
			 2012-13 17.2 5 45.0 26 111.8 88 
			 Notes: 1. Duration to Assessment The total amount of time in minutes between the patient’s arrival and their initial assessment in the A&E department. This is calculated as the difference in time from arrival at A&E to the time when the patient is initially assessed. 2. Duration to Treatment The total amount of time in minutes between the patient’s arrival and the start of their treatment. This is calculated as the difference in time from arrival at A&E to the time when the patient began treatment. 3. Duration to Departure The total amount of time spent in minutes in the A&E department. This is calculated as the difference in time from arrival at A&E to the time when the patient is discharged from A&E care. This includes being admitted to hospital, died in the department, discharged with no follow up or discharged-referred to another specialist department. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre

York Hospital

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of patients referred to York Hospital for (a) elective surgery and (b) outpatient appointments waited longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment in 2009-10 and each year since then; and what the average waiting time was in each of those years.

Jane Ellison: Data is not available in the format requested. Information as is available is shown following tables.
	Table 1 shows the number of patients admitted to York Hospital NHS Foundation Trust who waited over 18 weeks and the average waiting time in each year from 2009-10 to 2013-14. Table 2 shows the number of outpatients treated at York Hospital NHS Foundation Trust who waited over 18 weeks and the average waiting time in each year from 2009-10 to 2013-14.
	
		
			 Table 1 
			  Number of patients who waited over 18 weeks Percentage of patients who waited over 18 weeks Median wait (weeks) 
			 2009-10 1,439 8.8 9.8 
			 2010-11 1,136 6.8 8.6 
			 2011-12 1,584 9.9 9.3 
			 2012-13 1,998 8.7 9.8 
			 2013-14 2,790 11.0 11.2 
			 Source: NHS England 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2 
			  Number of patients who waited over 18 weeks Percentage of patients who waited over 18 weeks Median wait (weeks) 
			 2009-10 1,473 2.6 4.0 
			 2010-11 1,263 2.1 3.6 
			 2011-12 1,141 1.8 3.1 
			 2012-13 3,115 3.4 3.7 
		
	
	
		
			 2013-14 4,642 4.5 4.7 
			 Source: NHS England

York Hospital

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of patients at York Hospital were unable to get (a) an MRI scan, (b) a CT scan and (c) another diagnostic test carried out within the six week timescale specified in the NHS Constitution in 2009-10 and each year since then.

Jane Ellison: This information is not available in the format requested. Tables showing monthly data from April 2009 to April 2014 have been placed in the Library. These are waiting list figures and show the number of patients waiting at month end. Therefore, these cannot be added to obtain an annual figure as the same patient could potentially appear in several consecutive months.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether UK aircraft have flown outside Afghan airspace in support of NATO International Security Assistance Force missions in Afghanistan.

Mark Francois: To support the UK's contribution to the NATO ISAF mission in Afghanistan UK military aircraft regularly transit to and from Afghanistan through non Afghan airspace There has not been any employment of armed UK aircraft outside of the borders of Afghanistan in support of ISAF.

Apprentices

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many apprentices have been employed by contractors and sub-contractors to his Department in each year since 2010-11; and what proportion such apprentices make up of the workforce of those contractors and sub-contractors.

Philip Dunne: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not hold information about apprentices employed by contractors. We do not contract for individual staff but for a requirement. The successful contractor is free to deliver that requirement in the most appropriate way, including through the employment of apprentices, but the MOD does not record that detail.

HMS Illustrious

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when HMS Illustrious will be deployed on Exercise Cougar 14; what estimate he has made of the cost of preparing that ship for the exercise; and when she will return to be decommissioned.

Mark Francois: I am withholding details of the future programme for HMS Illustrious as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces. However, as first announced on 15 December 2010, Official Report , column 102WS, HMS Illustrious will retire from service this year.
	The costs associated with the preparation for deployment of any ship are part of the Royal Navy’s core activity and are not captured separately.

HMS Ocean

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the contractor is financially liable for the delay in HMS Ocean returning to service from her refit; and what estimate he has made of the costs of that delay.

Philip Dunne: The cost of the HMS Ocean upkeep programme is within the values approved for the project. The final cost will be determined when the contract negotiations for the additional work that was identified during the upkeep period have been concluded between the Ministry of Defence and the contractor.

Members: Correspondence

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what plans his Department has to increase the number of replies sent electronically to letters from hon. Members;
	(2)  if he will estimate the total number of ministerial replies from his Department to hon. Members in a parliamentary session; and what proportion of such replies are sent (a) by letter and (b) by email.

Anna Soubry: I refer the hon. Member to the answer the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude) gave on 7 July 2014, Official Report, columns 5-6W.

Oil: Exploration

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will publish all (a) reports, (b) studies and (c) impact assessments held by Ministers in the Department for Energy and prepared or considered by Ministers or officials between July 1984 and January 1986 which detail (i) the potential economic benefits of oil exploration in the Firth of Clyde or (ii) the defence implications of granting applications for licences to drill oil in that sector;
	(2)  what meetings took place between Ministers and officials of his Department and Ministers and officials of (a) the Department for Energy and (b) the Scottish Office between July 1984 and January 1986 at which oil exploration in the Firth of Clyde was discussed;
	(3)  if he will publish all correspondence between his Department and (a) the Department for Energy and (b) the Scottish Office originating between July 1984 and January 1986 concerning applications for licences to drill for oil in the Firth of Clyde.

Andrew Murrison: The Department does not hold any information relating to oil explorations in the Firth of Clyde.

Reserve Forces

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what targets his Department had for the number of sponsored reserves in each year since 2010;
	(2)  what total number of sponsored reserves were agreed as part of contracts signed by companies working for his Department in each year since 2010.

Anna Soubry: No sponsored reserve recruitment targets were set by the MOD during the period in question. Sponsored reserves are members of a civilian workforce who deliver a support service and who can be mobilised as service personnel if required. The number of sponsored reserves engaged by contractors in any year will be governed by the number and type of contracts for support services that are agreed in that year. Contractors are responsible for employing enough people with sponsored reserve status to meet the MOD’s operational needs.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 12 June 2014, Official Report, column 240W, on unmanned aerial vehicles, whether his Department maintains identical munitions records for those sorties of US-owned systems operated by UK personnel. [R]

Mark Francois: All UK Reaper sorties produce identical style mission records, regardless of whether the aircraft flown was UK or US Air Force owned.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2014, Official Report, column 598W, on unmanned aerial vehicles, whether any UK personnel other than RAF personnel embedded with the 432nd Wing will remain at Creech following cessation of the NATO ISAF missions in Afghanistan. [R]

Mark Francois: On current planning, personnel from Number 39 Squadron will remain at Creech Air Force base following the cessation of NATO International Security Force missions in Afghanistan. One RAF pilot will remain embedded with the USAF 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron. There are no UK personnel embedded with 432nd Wing at Creech Air Force base.

War Pensions

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will bring forward proposals to amend the rules governing the War Pension Scheme to allow all war widows a pension for life.

Anna Soubry: Changes to the war pension scheme would need to be approved by HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office due to the wider impact upon public sector pensions.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Apprentices

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department has taken to create synergies with the European Alliance for Apprenticeships in improving work opportunities for young people.

Matthew Hancock: The UK recognises the value of learning from others by keeping abreast of developments in Europe and internationally. However, we believe that this can be achieved through less bureaucratic routes than a European Alliance for Apprenticeships. In England, we do not propose to participate but the devolved administrations are free to do so if they believe that the Alliance is the appropriate framework for sharing best practice.
	We are already taking strong action to improve opportunities for young people by funding record numbers of apprenticeships, new traineeships and improved maths and English training. These actions, along with the record number of jobs, have contributed to the 32.8% fall in youth unemployment over the past year.

Asbestos

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2014, Official Report, column 461W, on asbestos, how often inspections for asbestos containing materials are carried out in buildings owned or managed by his Department.

Jo Swinson: Inspections for asbestos containing materials are carried out in buildings owned or managed by Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in accordance with statutory requirements.
	The asbestos regulations require all buildings containing asbestos to be inspected a minimum of once every twelve months. The level and type of asbestos in each building would dictate any additional inspections, maintenance and remedial work to be carried out in a particular building.
	The management plan, including records and drawings, should be reviewed every 12 months and any identified or suspected ACM must be inspected and its condition assessed periodically, to check that it has not deteriorated or been damaged.

Asbestos

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2014, Official Report, column 461W, on asbestos, what training does the responsible person as a duty holder in line with Health and Safety Executive guidance receive in order to perform their duties.

Jo Swinson: The duty holder works in consultation with specialist contractors who are qualified to carry out any necessary maintenance relating to asbestos.
	Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, there is a requirement for a competence to undertake this function. As this is very specific legislation, competence would require knowledge, experience and a suitable qualification (BOHS P405) or a combination of two or more of these requirements.
	A role-specific bespoke course may be arranged to meet the client’s needs provided by a competent body.

Asbestos

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to his Department's answer of 30 June 2014, Official Report, column 460W, on asbestos, whether all staff in his Department who work in buildings which contain asbestos are (a) aware of the asbestos in the buildings, (b) trained in how to manage asbestos and (c) required to sign an asbestos register before working on the premises.

Jo Swinson: Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, Regulation 10 requires that those who may be exposed to materials containing asbestos have relevant training. In all instances, prior to works starting, a full risk assessment is undertaken to manage risks.
	General staff (such as office, cleaning and catering staff) who regularly work in buildings owned or used by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills would not be working in an environment where they would disturb or be exposed to asbestos-containing materials. For these staff, therefore, training on how to manage asbestos is not provided and the signing of an asbestos register is not required. However, where it is identified that a member of staff or contractor could potentially be exposed to asbestos-containing materials, a full risk assessment in compliance with the regulations would take place.
	The regulation is specific to those who could work with asbestos. This would reasonably exclude general office workers, caterers, cleaners, etc. However, all would be protected by the Health and Safety at Work Act and Health and Safety at Work Regulations whereby all works are risk assessed prior to start to ensure the safe working and environment for those directly and indirectly affected.

Bankruptcy

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the (a) average total debt, secured and unsecured, in debtor petition bankruptcies, (b) average total debt, secured and unsecured, in creditor petition bankruptcies and (c) median unsecured debt in all bankruptcies was of individuals who filed for bankruptcy in each of the last five years.

Jo Swinson: The data requested are not available in the Insolvency Service’s data warehouse in a form that would allow this question to be answered. The data for individual bankrupts are held on the Insolvency Service’s case management system, but cannot be extracted and aggregated except at disproportionate cost.

British Business Bank

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2014, Official Report, column 461W, on the British Business Bank, how many of the 44 people working in the Sheffield headquarters of the British Business Bank have been recruited since December 2013.

Matthew Hancock: Six people working in the Sheffield headquarters of the British Business Bank have been recruited since December 2013.

Debts

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the average total debt was of individuals who filed for a debt relief order in each of the last five years.

Jo Swinson: The average debt level of an individual that was granted a Debt Relief Order in England and Wales in each of the last five years can be found in table 1 following.
	
		
			 Table 1: Average liabilities of individuals granted a debt relief order1 
			  Average Liability (£) 
			 2009/10 8,717 
			 2010/11 8,453 
			 2011/12 8,504 
			 2012/13 8,410 
			 2013/14 8,554 
			 1 Including those under inquiry or revoked at a later date.

Discretionary Learner Support Fund

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many (a) men and (b) women in further education received funding for childcare through the Discretionary Learner Support scheme in the last academic year; and what the total amount spent on such support was.

Matthew Hancock: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills undertook its latest analysis of Discretionary Learner Support for the full academic year 2011/12, which detailed specific breakdowns of expenditure and learner characteristics.
	The Skills Funding Agency allocated £58.5 million to providers to support childcare arrangements for their adult learners aged 20 and over. Providers assessed learner need and awarded a total of £42 million for childcare to nearly 10,500 learners. Around 300 (3%) of these awards were given to males with around 10,200 being females.

Higher Education: Research

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of research and development contracts undertaken by publicly-funded universities for private companies are covered by clauses that prohibit the publication of the research and development results on grounds of commercial confidentiality; and what proportion of such contracts are undertaken in facilities paid for by the public purse.

David Willetts: The Higher Education-Business and Community Interaction survey showed that contract research from business carried out by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) amounted to £441 million in 12-13. However, information is not held on the precise terms of these contracts or the physical locations in which they are fulfilled.
	Where an HEI is in receipt of research grants from the science budget and HE funding bodies, a requirement of the funding is that the outcomes are made publicly available, although HEIs are also encouraged to secure necessary intellectual property protection to enable subsequent exploitation. The Government is also implementing a policy of “Open Access” to the published findings of this publicly funded research. In the case of research consultancy, where the research is entirely funded by business, then the outcome would normally be owned by the business.
	Government is committed to ensure the application of research and getting universities and business working more closely together. World Economic Forum evaluation now ranks UK among the top five in the world for university-industry collaboration in R and D. Individual institutions have obligations under State Aid regulations and under their Charity status to ensure that their contract work with business is managed appropriately.

Local Enterprise Partnerships

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2014, Official Report, column 423W, on local enterprise partnerships, if he will make it his policy that his Department should record the gender composition of local enterprise partnerships boards for the purpose of strengthening equality impact assessments.

Michael Fallon: Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) have been established as voluntary partnerships of local business and public sector leaders, and board membership is a matter for LEPs themselves. This information will not be collected centrally.

Members: Correspondence

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  if he will estimate the total number of ministerial replies from his Department to hon. Members in a parliamentary session; and what proportion of such replies are sent (a) by letter and (b) by email;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of ministerial replies sent to hon. Members in electronic form only.

Jo Swinson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, the right hon. Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), on 7 July 2014, Official Report, columns 5-6W.

Parents: Further Education

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people in further education or training in the last academic year were (a) parents and (b) single parents.

Matthew Hancock: Information is not collected on the number of people in further education or training who were parents.

Redundancy

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in light of the collapse of Comet and the recent industrial tribunal ruling on employee compensation, what plans he has to issue guidance on the law relating to the role of administrators in consulting employees regarding redundancy.

Jo Swinson: I will be looking at the employment tribunal ruling in the Comet case, and its consequences, carefully. As the appeal period has yet to elapse, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further at this stage.

Students: Loans

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many (a) men and (b) women have applied for Advanced Learner loans since the start of the scheme.

Matthew Hancock: Information on the number of 24+ Advanced Learning Loan applications received between 8 April 2013 and 31 May 2014 by gender is published online:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/24-advanced-learning-loans-application-information-june-2014

Vocational Guidance: ICT

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to promote careers in the IT sector to young people.

Matthew Hancock: The Government's careers inspiration policy encourages employers and schools to work together to enthuse young people about career options to help them develop the skills and attitude needed. The National Careers Service helps to bring IT sector employers and schools together.
	The national Curriculum for both primary and secondary schools from September 2014 will include a new compulsory computing element including a greater emphasis on the principles of computational thinking and practical programming skills.
	Leading employers including IBM and the Test Factory are working together to design new apprenticeship standards as part of our Trailblazer programme.

CABINET OFFICE

Cybercrime

David Anderson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what evidence he has of attempts by foreign intelligence services to instigate cyber attacks on UK companies; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: As was the case under previous Administrations, we do not normally comment on details of cyber-security attacks.

Employment

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how many people were employed on a full-time basis in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many people were employed on a part-time basis in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each of the last five years;
	(3)  how many people have been registered as self-employed in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each of the last five years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated July 2014
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary questions asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people were employed on a part-time basis in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each of the last five years (204081); how many people were employed on a full-time basis in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each of the last five years (204082); how many people have been registered as self-employed in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each of the last five years (204098).
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles labour market statistics for areas smaller than the UK from the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions.
	Tables 1, 2 and 3 show the number of people resident in the requested geographies who were employed on a part-time, full-time and self employed basis respectively, according to survey responses from the APS for the 12 month period April 2013 to March 2014, the latest available period, and the 12 month periods from January to December for each year since 2009.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a certain level of uncertainty. A guide to the quality of the estimates of the levels is included on the tables.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
	A copy of tables 1, 2 and 3 will be placed in the Library of the House.

Shared Services Connected

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will publish the impact assessment for the Shared Services Connected Limited venture.

Francis Maude: Assessments are ongoing and commercially sensitive.

JUSTICE

Animal Welfare: Convictions

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were convicted of animal abuse in England and Wales in 2013.

Jeremy Wright: The number of offenders found guilty at all courts of offences under selected sections of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, together with the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 (excluding Section 13), in England and Wales, from 2009 to 2013 can be viewed in the table.
	
		
			 Offenders found guilty of selected offences, England and Wales, 2009 to 20131, 2 
			 Offence 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 
			 Causing unnecessary suffering to animals3 902 856 1,010 1,101 1,006 
			 Offences relating to animal fights4 9 2 9 13 14 
			 Offences of cruelty to badgers and special protection for badgers and their setts5 26 24 24 31 26 
			 1 The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. 2 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. 3 Offences under Section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 4 Offences under Section 8 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 5 Offences under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, with the exception of Section 13 Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.

Courts: Autism

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps his Department has taken to support adults with autism who are involved with the courts.

Simon Hughes: The Ministry of Justice is committed to making reasonable adjustments to accommodate a court user’s needs in line with its duty under the Equality Act 2010 and has a number of steps in place to facilitate this:
	HM Courts and Tribunals (HMCTS) provides support to users of the courts and tribunals who have disabilities (including those with autism) in a variety of ways. Staff are able to make reasonable adjustments for customers when coming to court, including for example, auxiliary aids or help with completing forms.
	In addition HMCTS are working closely with NHS England on the Liaison and Diversion Programme. This aims to identify individuals as early as possible after they come into contact with the police and criminal justice system. They who aim to make sure that individuals have had their health needs and vulnerabilities (including the autistic spectrum) identified and assessed at the earliest possible stage, so they are referred to the right services to receive the help and support they need.
	In the criminal jurisdiction the CPS or defence can apply for special measures for victims, witnesses and defendants with disabilities. The appropriateness and specific nature of these measures would be decided upon by the judge.
	Similarly, in civil, family and tribunal jurisdictions, parties can apply to the judge to ask for additional support, which could for example include the provision of intermediaries and appropriate adults.
	A new Code of Practice for Victims of Crime was launched on 10 December 2013. The code provides enhanced entitlements for vulnerable victims such as those who have a significant impairment. Special measures could include the use of communication aids such as alphabet boards or other assistance to victims if they have to give evidence in court.
	Judges are aware of the special measures available for disabled people. Guidance on fair treatment and equality issues, including general information on disability issues, is available to the judiciary in the Equal Treatment Bench Book and it is for the judge to consider the individual elements of each case. Additionally, the Judicial College regularly reviews its training materials to ensure that awareness of diversity and equality is given appropriate priority.
	Finally, the Ministry of Justice are signatories to the recent refresh of the Adult Autism Strategy “Think Autism-Fulfilling and Rewarding Lives, the strategy for adults with autism in England: an update” published April 2014.

Courts: Children

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the proportion of (a) judges, (b) magistrates and (c) prosecutors currently working in courts who have undergone specialist training on working with children in a court environment. [R]

Damian Green: Responsibility for training of judiciary, including magistrates, rests with the Lord Chief Justice (LCJ) and is exercised through the Judicial college.
	Depending on the nature of the case, judicial office holders are authorised to hear, and receive specialist training for, cases involving children. Control is exercised through listing which is a judicial function. Where appropriate, special measures, including the use of an intermediary, are identified through the process of case management and used by the court to support children who give evidence. In further support of this, the LCJ set out his plans for authorising and training Crown court judges who will preside over trials involving child grooming by gangs in his letter to the chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee on 26 July 2013.
	Regular assessment of both training requirements and the number of authorised judicial office holders is made.
	Answer (c) ministerial responsibility for prosecutors rests with the Attorney-General, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr Grieve).

Courts: Children

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the number of child witnesses who had given evidence in court by video recording rather than by live video link in each of the last 10 years. [R]

Damian Green: Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service uses information about witnesses in criminal cases to ensure that individual trials are managed effectively. HMCTS does not, however, hold data on the number of child witnesses who give evidence via video link/recording.
	Video recording of initial evidence known as ABE (achieving best evidence) is appropriate for some child witnesses; this is undertaken by the police and can be played at trial.
	In December 2013, a pilot commenced of S.28 of Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, a special measures provision allowing the cross examination of eligible witnesses’ evidence to be recorded in advance of the trial. This pilot is taking place in three Crown courts sitting at Liverpool, Leeds and Kingston-upon-Thames.

Courts: Video Conferencing

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 2 July 2014, Official Report, column 671W, on courts: video conference, if he will publish a list of the remote sites for giving evidence in England and Wales. [R]

Damian Green: Each Criminal Justice agency is responsible for its own video estate. The following table sets out the court houses within each HMCTS region which have the ability to link to an external video end point to that of the trial court.
	
		
			  Number 
			 Wales 22 
			 Aberystwyth Law Court  
			 Barry Community Centre  
			 Brecon Powys Law Courts  
			 Bridgend Magistrates Court  
			 Caerphilly Magistrates Court  
			 Cardiff Magistrates Court  
			 Haverfordwest Magistrates Court  
			 Llandrindod Wells Magistrates Court  
			 Llandudno Magistrates Court  
			 Llanelli Magistrates Court  
			 Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates Court  
			 Neath Magistrates Court  
			 Prestatyn Magistrates Court  
			 Swansea Magistrates Court  
			 Welshpool Magistrates  
			 Wrexham Magistrates Court  
			 Cardiff Crown Court  
			 Merthyr Tydfil Combined Court  
			 Newport (Gwent) Crown Court  
			 Swansea Crown Court  
			 Mold Law Courts  
			 Caernarfon Criminal Justice Centre  
			   
			 London 32 
			 Brent Magistrates Court  
			 Bromley Magistrates Court  
			 Camberwell Green Magistrates Court  
			 City of London Magistrates Court  
			 Croydon Magistrates Court  
			 Ealing Magistrates Court  
			 Enfield Magistrates Court  
			 Feltham Magistrates Court  
			 Greenwich Magistrates Court  
			 Hendon Magistrates Court  
			 Highbury Corner Magistrates Court  
		
	
	
		
			 Newham Magistrates Court  
			 Redbridge Magistrates Court  
			 South Western Magistrates Court  
			 Stratford Magistrates Court  
			 Thames Magistrates Court  
			 Uxbridge Magistrates Court  
			 Waltham Forest Magistrates Court  
			 West London Magistrates Court  
			 Westminster Magistrates Court  
			 Wimbledon magistrates Court  
			 Blackfriars Crown Court  
			 Central Criminal Court  
			 Croydon Crown Court  
			 Harrow Crown Court  
			 Inner London Crown Court  
			 Isleworth Crown Court  
			 Kingston upon Thames Crown Court  
			 Snaresbrook Crown Court  
			 Southwark Crown Court  
			 Wood Green Crown Court  
			 Woolwich Crown Court  
			   
			 South East 52 
			 Basildon Magistrates Court  
			 Bedford Magistrates Court  
			 Brighton Magistrates Court  
			 Bury St Edmunds Magistrates Court  
			 Cambridge Magistrates Court  
			 Canterbury Magistrates Court  
			 Chelmsford Magistrates Court  
			 Colchester Magistrates Court  
			 Crawley Magistrates Court  
			 Folkestone Magistrates Courts  
			 Great Yarmouth Magistrates Courts  
			 Guildford Magistrates Courts  
			 Harlow Magistrates Court  
			 Hastings Magistrates Court  
			 Kings Lynn Magistrates  
			 Luton and South Beds Mags  
			 Maidstone Magistrates  
			 Margate Magistrates' (Thanton) Court  
			 Medway Magistrates Court  
			 Milton Keynes Magistrates  
			 Norwich Magistrates Court  
			 Oxford Magistrates Court  
			 Peterborough Magistrates Court  
			 Reading Magistrates Court  
			 Redhill Magistrates Court  
			 Slough Magistrates Court  
			 Southend Magistrates Court  
			 St Albans Magistrates Court  
			 Staines Magistrates Court  
		
	
	
		
			 Stevenage Magistrates Court  
			 Watford Magistrates Court  
			 Worthing Magistrates Court  
			 Amersham Crown Court  
			 Aylesbury Crown  
			 Basildon Crown Court  
			 Cambridge Crown Court  
			 Canterbury Combined Court (Crown)  
			 Chelmsford Crown Court  
			 Chichester Combined Court (Crown)  
			 Guildford Crown  
			 Huntingdon Crown  
			 Hove Crown Court  
			 Ipswich Crown Court  
			 Lewes Crown Court  
			 Luton Crown Court  
			 Maidstone Combined (Crown)  
			 Norwich Combined (Crown)  
			 Oxford Combined (Crown)  
			 Peterborough Combined (Crown)  
			 Reading Crown Court  
			 Southend Crown Court  
			 St Albans Crown Court  
			   
			 South West 35 
			 Aldershot Magistrates Court  
			 Andover Magistrates Court  
			 Barnstaple Magistrates Court  
			 Basingstoke Magistrates Court  
			 Bodmin Magistrates Court  
			 Bournemouth Magistrates Court  
			 Bristol magistrates Court  
			 Cheltenham Magistrates Court  
			 Chippenham Magistrates Court  
			 Exeter Magistrates Court  
			 Newport (IoW) Magistrates Court  
			 Plymouth Magistrates Court  
			 Portsmouth Magistrates Court  
			 Southampton Magistrates Court  
			 Stroud Magistrates Court  
			 Swindon Magistrates Court  
			 Taunton Magistrates Court  
			 Torquay Magistrates Court  
			 Truro Magistrates Court  
			 Weymouth Magistrates Court  
			 Bournemouth Crown Court  
			 Bristol Crown Court  
			 Dorchester Crown Court  
			 Exeter Combined Court (Crown)  
			 Gloucester Crown Court  
			 Newport IoW Crown Court  
			 Plymouth Combined Court  
		
	
	
		
			 Portsmouth Combined Court  
			 Salisbury Combined Court  
			 Southampton Crown Court  
			 Swindon Crown Court  
			 Taunton Crown Court  
			 Truo Crown Court  
			 Weymouth and Dorchester Combined  
			 Winchester Combined Court  
			   
			 Midlands 40 
			 Birmingham Magistrates Court  
			 Birmingham Youth Court  
			 Burton Magistrates Court  
			 Cannock Magistrates Court  
			 Chesterfield Magistrates Court  
			 Coventry Magistrates Court  
			 Derby Magistrates Court  
			 Dudley Magistrates Court  
			 Grantham Magistrates Court  
			 Hereford Magistrates Court  
			 Leicester Magistrates  
			 Lincoln Magistrates Court  
			 Loughborough Magistrates Court  
			 Mansfield Magistrates Court  
			 Newcastle under Lyme Magistrates Court  
			 Northampton magistrates Court  
			 Nottingham Magistrates Court and AIT  
			 Nuneaton Magistrates  
			 Redditch Magistrates Court  
			 Shrewsbury Magistrates Court  
			 Skegness Magistrates Court  
			 Solihull Magistrates Court  
			 Telford Magistrates Court  
			 Walsall Magistrates Court  
			 Wellingborough Magistrates Court  
			 Wolverhampton Magistrates Court  
			 Worcester Magistrates Court  
			 Birmingham Crown Court  
			 Coventry Combined (Crown)  
			 Derby Combined (Crown)  
			 Hereford Crown  
			 Leicester Combined (Crown)  
			 Lincoln Crown Court  
			 Northampton Combined Court (Crown)  
			 Nottingham Combined Court (Crown)  
			 Shrewsbury Crown Court  
			 Stafford Crown Court  
			 Stoke Crown Court  
			 Warwickshire Justice Centre  
			 Wolverhampton Combined (Crown)  
			   
		
	
	
		
			 North West 31 
			 Accrington Magistrates Court  
			 Barrow-in-Furness Magistrates Court  
			 Birkenhead Magistrates Court  
			 Blackpool Magistrates Court  
			 Bury Magistrates Court  
			 Carlisle Magistrates Court  
			 Chester Magistrates Court  
			 Crewe Magistrates Court  
			 Kendal Magistrates Court  
			 Lancaster Magistrates Court  
			 Liverpool Magistrates Court  
			 Liverpool Youth Court  
			 Manchester Magistrates Court  
			 Preston Magistrates Court  
			 Runcorn Magistrates Court  
			 South Sefton Magistrates Court  
			 St Helens Magistrates Court  
			 Tameside Magistrates Court  
			 Warrington Magistrates Court  
			 Wigan Magistrates Court  
			 Wirral Magistrates Court  
			 Workington Magistrates Court  
			 Bolton Combined Court (Crown)  
			 Burnley Combined Court  
			 Carlisle Crown Court  
			 Chester Crown Court  
			 Liverpool Crown Court  
			 Manchester Crown Court-Crown  
			 Manchester Crown Court-Minshull Street  
			 Preston Combined (Crown)  
			 Warrington Combined Court  
			   
			 North East 37 
			 Barnsley Magistrates Court  
			 Bedlington Magistrates Court  
			 Berwick-Upon-Tweed Magistrates Court  
			 Beverley Magistrates Court  
			 Bradford Magistrates Court  
			 Bridlington Magistrates Court  
			 Doncaster Magistrates Court  
			 Gateshead Magistrates Court  
			 Grimsby Magistrates Court  
			 Halifax Magistrates Court  
			 Harrogate Magistrate Court  
			 Hartlepool Magistrates Court  
			 Huddersfield Magistrates Court  
			 Hull and Holderness Magistrates Court  
			 Leeds Magistrates Court  
			 Middlesbrough Magistrates Court  
			 Newcastle upon Tyne Magistrates Court  
		
	
	
		
			 Newton Aycliffe Magistrates Court  
			 North Shields Magistrates Court  
			 Peterlee Magistrates Court  
			 Scunthorpe Magistrates Court  
			 Sheffield Magistrates Court  
			 South Shields Magistrates Court  
			 Sunderland Magistrates Court  
			 Teesside Magistrates Court  
			 Wakefield Magistrates Court  
			 York Magistrates Court  
			 Bradford Crown Court  
			 Doncaster Crown Court  
			 Durham Crown Court  
			 Grimsby Combined Court  
			 Kingston upon Hull Combined  
			 Leeds Combined (Crown)  
			 Newcastle Combined Court  
			 Sheffield Crown Court  
			 Teesside Combined  
			 York Crown Court  
			 Total 249

Domestic Violence: Reoffenders

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of variations in the degree to which perpetrators of domestic abuse who breach court orders or fail to engage or complete offender programmes (a) face consistency in sentencing practice and enforcement and (b) consistently receive the penalty of being sent to prison when such breaches are brought back to court; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Wright: Domestic violence is an appalling crime and we are committed to ensuring that it is tackled effectively and that victims can have confidence in the criminal justice system. The DPP recently announced that the highest ever conviction rate for domestic violence prosecutions, over 74%, and every police force is expected to have an action plan in place by September to improve further their response to domestic violence and abuse.
	Sentencing is entirely a matter for the courts taking into account all the circumstances of each case and following any relevant sentencing guidelines issued by the independent Sentencing Council. The Sentencing Council has a duty to monitor the operation and effect of its guidelines including giving consideration to the frequency with which courts depart from the guidelines, the effect of the guidelines in promoting consistency of sentencing and the effect of the guidelines in promoting public confidence in the criminal justice system.
	Offending behaviour amounting to domestic violence is covered by a wide range of offences: there is no specific offence of domestic abuse. Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the courts, but those who perpetrate serious acts of violence and abuse are likely to face long custodial sentences. Where a court does not impose an immediate custodial sentence, the main court orders which may be imposed in such cases are community orders, suspended sentence orders, restraining orders and non-molestation orders. The overarching sentencing guideline on domestic violence identifies the principles relevant to the sentencing of cases involving violence or abuse that has occurred in a domestic context.
	In relation to breaches of community orders and suspended orders, the responsible officer makes an initial decision as to whether the offender has unreasonably failed to comply with the requirements of the order. If so, the legislation requires that the offender must either receive a warning or be returned to court for a breach hearing. Only one warning may be given in a 12-month period. If the court finds the offender in breach of a community order, it must take action by: revoking the order and re-sentencing for the original offence, including possibly to custody; making the requirements of the order more onerous; or imposing a fine not exceeding £2,500. If the court finds an offender in breach of a suspended sentence order, it must give effect to the custodial sentence unless it is satisfied that it would not be in the interests of justice to do so. If the custodial sentence is not given effect then the court must make the order more onerous or impose a fine not exceeding £2,500.
	A restraining order may be imposed on conviction or acquittal. Restraining orders imposed on acquittal can be an added protection for victims in situations where the abuse may be beyond the balance of probabilities, but not beyond reasonable doubt—the standard of proof required for criminal convictions. A non-molestation order may be imposed during family proceedings. Failure to comply with these orders is a criminal offence with a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.
	Sentencing guidelines also cover breaches of community orders and suspended sentence orders, and the breach of a protective order (restraining orders and non-molestation orders). The guideline on breach of protective orders emphasises that in all cases the order will have been made to protect an individual from harm, and action in response to breach should have as its primary aim the importance of ensuring that the order is complied with and that it achieves the protection that it was intended to achieve. Where violence is used to breach a protective order, custody is the starting point for the sentence. The guideline also states that non-violent conduct in breach may cross the custody threshold where a high degree of harm or anxiety has been caused to the victim.

Employment Tribunals Service

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many applications for employment tribunal fee remission were (a) received, (b) granted and (c) refused between 1 January and 31 March 2014; and how many such refusals were successfully appealed.

Shailesh Vara: The employment tribunal remissions data currently available does not permit this information to be readily obtained and assured.

Homicide

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people have been convicted of (a) murder, (b) manslaughter, (c) causing death by dangerous driving and (d) infanticide in each of the last 10 years in England and Wales.

Jeremy Wright: The number of defendants found guilty at all courts for murder, manslaughter, infanticide and causing death by dangerous driving in England and Wales from 2003 to 2013 (latest available) is shown in the following table.
	Generally, crime has fallen over this period, and conviction rates have remained broadly stable.
	Since 2010, a greater proportion of convicted criminals are going to prison and their sentences are longer than ever before.
	
		
			 Defendants found guilty at all courts for murder, manslaughter, infanticide and causing death by dangerous driving, England and Wales, 2003-20131, 2 
			 Offences 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 
			 Murder3 277 361 394 372 369 439 376 346 343 356 314 
			 Manslaughter4 244 265 260 212 226 248 219 209 173 166 171 
			 Infanticide5 0 — 2 1 2 — 1 2 0 1 1 
			 Causing death by dangerous driving6 233 241 255 223 233 221 225 154 114 116 109 
			 1 The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. 2 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. 3 Includes all murder offences under common law and including by virtue of ss9/10 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. 4 Offences against the Person Act 1861 S.9. 5 Infanticide Act 1938 S.1(1) 6 Road Traffic Act 1988 as added by Road Traffic Act 1991 S.1 Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services: Ministry of Justice.

Homicide: Sentencing

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to review sentences given for (a) murder and (b) manslaughter where the offence was a one-punch killing.

Jeremy Wright: A life sentence is mandatory for murder and there is statutory guidance to the courts in determining the appropriate minimum term when sentencing. Manslaughter has a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and, within that maximum penalty, it is necessary that judges are able to sentence according to all the factors in each case. There is no sentencing guideline on unlawful act manslaughter but there is case law to assist the courts.
	Following the comments of the Attorney-General and the Court of Appeal in the case of Lewis Gill, the Government considers that clarification of sentencing in manslaughter cases would assist the courts in these difficult cases and be helpful to the public. The Secretary of State for Justice therefore wrote to Lord Justice Treacy, the Chair of the Sentencing Council, on 8 May 2014 to make a formal request that the Council gives consideration to producing guidance on the sentencing of these cases.

Magistrates: Tees Valley

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many magistrates there are on Teesside; what the gender and ethnic composition of that bench is; and what recruitment there has been to that bench in the last three years.

Damian Green: There are 302 magistrates serving in Teesside. Of this total number, 151 are male and 151 are female. The ethnic composition of the bench in Teesside is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number 
			 White 288 
			 Mixed 2 
			 Black 0 
			 Asian 10 
			 Chinese 0 
			 Any other 2 
		
	
	A total of 25 new magistrates were recruited to the bench in Teesside in the last three years; 18 of these new appointments were made in 2012-13 and seven of the new appointments were made in 2013-14. No new recruitment took place for the Teesside bench in 2011-12.

Pornography

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to prevent people from publishing explicit photos online sent to them in trust by their former partners;
	(2)  how many prosecutions were brought against people for distribution of explicit photographs when the permission of the photograph's subject had not been obtained in the last year for which figures are available.

Jeremy Wright: The Government believes the posting of revenge porn, which these questions appear to be directed towards, is a despicable act and is one which can have devastating consequences for the victim.
	The Government is looking at this area of the law to ensure it is fully equipped to deal with this behaviour.
	The Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database holds information on defendants proceeded against, found guilty and sentenced for criminal offences in England and Wales. This database holds information on offences according to the statutes under which proceedings are brought, but without detailing the specific circumstances of each case.
	It is therefore neither possible to identify from this centrally held information whether an offender was prosecuted for the ‘distribution of explicit photographs’, nor whether in each case the permission of the photograph’s subject had been obtained.

Prison Service

Jenny Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many ex-prison officers invited to express interest in joining HM Prison Service Reserve received a redundancy package from HM Prison Service between 2010 and 2013;
	(2)  how many former prison officers his Department plans to hire to join to HM Prison Service Reserve.

Jeremy Wright: HM Prison Service Reserve has been established as a permanent pool of experienced prison staff which can be deployed to areas of the country where and when there is a temporary need. There is no limit on the number of former officers who may join the Reserve.
	1,375 ex-prison officers invited to express interest left under one of a number of voluntary early departure schemes supporting the closure of prisons or other efficiency programmes.

Prison Service

Jenny Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prison officers working in the prison estate in England and Wales have been made redundant or taken voluntary redundancy in each year from 2010 to 2013.

Jeremy Wright: No prison officers working in public sector prisons in England and Wales were made redundant, or took voluntary redundancy between 2010 and 2013.

Prison Service

Jenny Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many training and education sessions in each prison in England and Wales were cancelled due to staff shortages in each month in 2013.

Jeremy Wright: The requested information is not held centrally and would need to be collated through inquiries at each prison in England and Wales. This would incur disproportionate cost.

Prison Service

Jenny Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much HM Prison Service spent on severance pay for staff at prison officer grades in each year from 2010 to 2013.

Jeremy Wright: It has not been possible to answer this question within the time available. I will write to the hon. Lady as soon as possible.

Prisoners' Transfers

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for what reasons Michael Wheatley was transferred from HM Prison Standford Hill in December 2013.

Jeremy Wright: Mr Wheatley transferred from HMP Standford Hill to HMP Elmley on 9 November 2013. He was transferred following security intelligence that he had more money in possession than he was permitted. The duty governor made the decision to return Mr Wheatley to closed conditions as a precautionary measure pending a full investigation of this intelligence. It was stressed this was a temporary move. The intelligence received was evaluated, but found to be uncorroborated. A decision was taken on 10 January 2014 to return Mr Wheatley to open conditions. Mr Wheatley was returned to open conditions on 4 February 2014.

Prisoners' Transfers

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what role the Governor of HM Prison Standford Hill played in rescinding the decision of the parole board to send Michael Wheatley to that prison.

Jeremy Wright: The duty governor made the decision to return Mr Wheatley to closed conditions as a precautionary measure pending a full investigation of intelligence that he had more money in his possession than permitted.

Prisoners' Transfers

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice to which prison Michael Wheatley was transferred in December 2013.

Jeremy Wright: Mr Wheatley was transferred from HMP Standford Hill to HMP Elmley on 9 November 2013.

Prisoners: Older People

Duncan Hames: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners aged 75 and over there were in each type of prison in (a) 2010 and (b) the latest period for which figures are available.

Jeremy Wright: Over the last 10 years the number of prisoners in England and Wales aged 75 and over has risen each year. The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) is working hard to ensure that prisons are equipped to meet the needs of this group, including through the commissioning of health and social care services.
	The requested information is provided in the following table.
	
		
			 Prison population aged 75 years and over as at 31 March in year shown, England and Wales 
			 Category 2010 2014 
			 Cluster 17 32 
			 Female closed <5 <5 
			 Female local <5 <5 
			 Male category B 9 16 
			 Male category C 83 187 
			 Male closed YOI1 <5 <5 
			 Male dispersal 17 18 
			 Male local 73 129 
			 Male open 6 14 
			 Semi open <5 <5 
			 Grand Total 208 400 
			 1 People may be held in a prison which is predominantly for young offenders but is dual registered to hold adults. Note: These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Remand in Custody

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the answer of 13 May 2014, Official Report, column 504W, on remand custody, how many defendants were proceeded against at magistrates courts in England and Wales by remand status, offence groups and sex in (a) 2011 and (b) 2013; and what proportion of the total number of defendants charged with the relevant offences those figures represent.

Jeremy Wright: Officials in my Department are currently compiling the information requested. I will write to my hon. Friend when this process is complete.

Road Traffic Offences: Cycling

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many pedal cyclists were prosecuted for road traffic offences in the last 12 months.

Damian Green: The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences connected with pedal cycles in England and Wales, from 2009 to 2013 (the latest available) can be viewed in the table.
	
		
			 Defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for pedal cycle offences, England and Wales, 2009 to 20131, 2 
			  Number of defendants 
			 2009 879 
			 2010 1,052 
			 2011 1,243 
			 2012 871 
			 2013 901 
			 1 The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. 2 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.

Social Security Benefits: Appeals

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many appeals in social security tribunals in which the appellant was (a) represented and (b) not represented were successful in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Shailesh Vara: The First-tier Tribunal—Social Security and Child Support (SSCS), administered by HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS), hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) decisions on a range of benefits. The following table shows the number of appeals in which the appellant was represented and the decision was made in the appellant's favour and the number of appeals in which the appellant was not represented and the decision was made in the appellant's favour.
	
		
			  Number Percentage 
			 Appellant represented1 and decision in appellant’s favour 45,368 65 
		
	
	
		
			 Appellant not represented and decision in appellant’s favour2 111,580 45 
			 1 A representative is any person that the appellant has requested to attend the tribunal. 2 Provisional and subject to further change. Notes: 1. The above data are taken from management information in line with published statistics. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the data, the details are subject to inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale reporting system and are the best data available. 2. Numbers provided relate only to oral hearings.

Staff

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of staff employed (a) directly and (b) indirectly by his Department were employed on (i) short term and (ii) zero hours contracts in each of the last 10 years.

Shailesh Vara: We are unable to provide the number of staff and proportion of those employed by a third party to work indirectly by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). This information is partially held centrally and to collate all of this information as a whole would incur disproportionate costs.
	However figures that are held on the MoJ central systems on staff directly employed by the MoJ and its agencies from 2008 to 2014 on (i) short-term and (ii) zero-hours contracts can be found in the following tables:
	
		
			 MoJ staff with fixed-term contracts (SFTC) of 12 months or less as per the Office on National Statistics definition 
			  SFTC (number) Percentage of SFTC work force in MoJ 
			 31 March 2008 2,087 3 
			 31 March 2009 1,489 2 
			 31 March 2010 1,305 2 
			 31 March 2011 1,025 1 
			 31 March 2012 409 1 
			 31 March 2013 1,372 2 
			 31 March 2014 637 1 
		
	
	
		
			 MoJ staff recorded as having no fixed hours of employment i.e. zero-hours contracts 
			  Staff on zero-hours contracts (number) Percentage of zero-hours work force 
			 31 March 2008 158 0.25 
			 31 March 2009 208 0.29 
			 31 March 2010 188 0.26 
			 31 March 2011 204 0.26 
			 31 March 2012 158 0.21 
			 31 March 2013 133 0.17 
			 31 March 2014 123 0.16 
		
	
	The percentage of MoJ staff on zero-hours contracts has been decreasing since 2009.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Administrative Scheme for the “On the Runs” Independent Review

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reason the publication of the Hallett Report into the On-The-Runs Scheme has been delayed until 17 July 2014; and if she will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: As the hon. Lady will be aware, I set out in my written ministerial statement of 26 June the processes necessary to prepare Lady Justice Hallett’s report for publication. In my statement, I confirmed that the report is being prepared for publication by Lady Justice Hallett and that she had informed me that it will be presented to me for the first time on 16 July. I intend to publish Lady Justice Hallett’s report 24 hours later.

Administrative Scheme for the “On the Runs” Independent Review

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps she is taking to ensure that the families of the soldiers killed in the Hyde Park Bombing of 20 July 1982 will have early sight of the Report of Lady Justice Hallett into the On-The-Runs Scheme due to be published on 17 July 2014; and if she will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: As with the publication of previous reports, I intend to grant advance sight to those whom Lady Justice Hallett has recommended as being interested parties. This will include representatives of the families of the victims of the Hyde Park bombing in 1982.

Belfast International Airport

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what support her Department has given to secure the establishment of US immigration, customs and agricultural pre-clearance at Belfast International Airport.

Theresa Villiers: My Department has been working with the Northern Ireland Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to understand the issues surrounding US immigration, customs, and agricultural pre-clearance at Belfast International airport.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which 100 wards in Northern Ireland had the (a) highest and (b) lowest electoral registration rate in the latest period for which figures are available; and which town, county and parliamentary constituency each such ward was located in.

Andrew Robathan: The information is contained in the enclosed tables.
	The following table lists the 100 wards in Northern Ireland that had the highest electoral registration rate in May 2014. Due to the recent boundary changes, information is not available on the corresponding parliamentary constituencies.
	
		
			 Ward District Electoral Area Local Government District 
			 Ballyward Slieve Croob Newry, Mourne and Down 
			 Washing Bay Torrent Mid Ulster 
			 Strangford Downpatrick Newry, Morune and Down 
			 Ballymagee Bangor East and Donaghadee North Down and Ards 
			 Jordanstown Three Mile Water Antrim and Newtownabbey 
		
	
	
		
			 Kilwaughter Larne Lough Mid and East Antrim 
			 Aghadowey Bann Causeway Coast and Glens 
			 Blackwatertown Armagh Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon 
			 Slemish Braid Mid and East Antrim 
			 Cairnshill Castlereagh South Lisburn and Castlreagh 
			 Bellaghy Moyola Mid Ulster 
			 Ahoghill Bannside Mid and East Antrim 
			 Altahullion Benbradagh Causeway Coast and Glens 
			 Dunnamanagh Sperrin Derry and Strabane 
			 Quilly Lagan River Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon 
			 Mallusk Airport Antrim and Newtownabbey 
			 Ballydugan Slieve Croob Newry, Mourne and Down 
			 Saintfield Rowallane Newry, Mourne and Down 
			 Ballycarry and Glynn Larne Lough Mid and East Antrim 
			 Ardboe Torrent Mid Ulster 
			 Kilroot Carrick Castle Mid and East Antrim 
			 Killyman Dungannon Mid Ulster 
			 Lissan Magherafelt Mid Ulster 
			 Loughgall Portadown Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon 
			 Ballymaguigan Moyola Mid Ulster 
			 Ballinderry Killultagh Lisburn and Castlereagh 
			 Sixmilecross Mid Tyrone Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Oaklands Cookstown Mid Ulster 
			 Islandmagee Larne Lough Mid and East Antrim 
			 Parkgate Dunsilly Antrim and Newtownabbey 
			 Caledon Clogher Valley Mid Ulster 
			 Hilltown Crotlieve Newry, Mourne and Down 
			 Ballygowan Comber North Down and Ards 
			 Dromore Lagan River Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon 
			 Dunloy Ballymoney Causeway Coast and Glens 
			 Broughshane Braid Mid and East Antrim 
			 Galgorm Bannside Mid and East Antrim 
			 Derrytrasna Craigavon Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon 
			 Route Ballymoney Causeway Coast and Glens 
			 Ballymacbrennan Downshire East Lisburn and Castlereagh 
			 White Mountain Killultagh Lisburn and Castlereagh 
			 Tamlaght O’Crilly Carntogher Mid Ulster 
			 Woodburn Knockagh Mid and East Antrim 
			 Doagh Ballyclare Antrim and Newtownabbey 
			 Annalong The Mournes Newry, Mourne and Down 
			 Swatragh Carntogher Mid Ulster 
			 Cronstown Newtownards North and Down and Ards 
			 Boneybefore Carrick Castle Mid and East Antrim 
			 Clandeboye Holywood and Clandeboye North Down and Ards 
			 Castlerock Bann Causeway Coast and Glens 
			 Coolshinny Magherafelt Mid Ulster 
		
	
	
		
			 Ballynure Ballyclare Antrim and Newtownabbey 
			 Dromara Downshire East Lisburn and Castlereagh 
			 Loughguile and Stranocum The Glens Causeway Coast and Glens 
			 Lower Glenshane Carntogher Mid Ulster 
			 Markethill Cusher Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon 
			 Maine Bannside Mid and East Antrim 
			 Cairncastle Coast Road Mid and East Antrim 
			 Kirkinriola Braid Mid and East Antrim 
			 Augher and Clogher Clogher Valley Mid Ulster 
			 Park Sperrin Derry and Strabane 
			 Banbridge East Banbridge Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon 
			 Loughbrickland Banbridge Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon 
			 Donaghcloney Lagan River Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon 
			 Tobermore Moyola Mid Ulster 
			 Hamiltonsbawn Cusher Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon 
			 Dromore West Tyrone Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Glenravel Braid Mid and East Antrim 
			 Grange Bannside Mid and East Antrim 
			 Lagan Downshire West Lisburn and Castlereagh 
			 Maghaberry Killultagh Lisburn and Castlereagh 
			 Fintona West Tyrone Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Gransha Lagan River Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon 
			 Owenkillew Mid Tyrone Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Newtownsaville West Tyrone Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Termon Mid Tyrone Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Ravernet Downshire East Lisburn and Castlereagh 
			 Beragh Mid Tyrone Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Waringstown Lagan River Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon 
			 Magheralin Lurgan Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon 
			 Drumquin West Tyrone Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Fairy Water West Tyrone Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Irvinestown Erne North Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Lisnarrick Enniskillen Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Trillick West Tyrone Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Ballinamallard Erne North Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Lisbellaw Enniskillen Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Brookeborough Erne East Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Tempo Erne North Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Derrygonnelly Erne West Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Ederney and Kesh Erne North Fermanagh and Omagh 
		
	
	
		
			 Rosslea Erne East Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Belleek and Boa Erne North Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Boho, Cleenish and Letterbreen Erne West Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Derrylin Erne West Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Newtownbutler Erne East Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Maguiresbridge Erne East Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Belcoo and Garrison Erne West Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Florence Court and Kinawley Erne West Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Donagh Erne East Fermanagh and Omagh 
		
	
	The following table lists the 100 wards with the lowest electoral registration rate in May 2014:
	
		
			 Ward District Electoral Area Local Government District 
			 Windsor Botanic Belfast 
			 Central Botanic Belfast 
			 Stranmillis Botanic Belfast 
			 Northland Foyleside Derry and Strabane 
			 Ormeau Botanic Belfast 
			 Duncairn Castle Belfast 
			 Ballysaggart Dungannon Mid Ulster 
			 Water Works Oldpark Belfast 
			 Blackstaff Botanic Belfast 
			 City Walls The Moor Derry and Strabane 
			 Beersbridge Titanic Belfast 
			 Fair Green Ballymena Mid and East Antrim 
			 Crossmaglen Slieve Gullion Newry, Mourne and Down 
			 Woodstock Titanic Belfast 
			 Falls Court Belfast 
			 Shankill Court Belfast 
			 Connswater Titanic Belfast 
			 Ballymurphy Black Mountain Belfast 
			 Harbour Bangor Central North Down and Ards 
			 Clonard Court Belfast 
			 Mullaghmore Dungannon Mid Ulster 
			 Erne Enniskillen Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Beechmount Black Mountain Belfast 
			 Rosetta Lisnasharragh Belfast 
			 Castle Demesne Ballymena Mid and East Antrim 
			 Woodvale Court Belfast 
			 Ardoyne Oldpark Belfast 
			 Ballymacarrett Titanic Belfast 
			 New Lodge Oldpark Belfast 
			 Ballybot Newry Newry, Mourne and Down 
			 Bloomfield Titanic Belfast 
			 Lagan Valley Lisburn South Lisburn and Castlereagh 
			 Corcrain Portadown Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon 
			 Rostulla Three Mile Water Antrim and Newtownabbey 
			 Derryaghy Lisburn North Lisburn and Castlereagh 
			 Abbey Newry Newry, Mourne and Down 
		
	
	
		
			 Warrenpoint Crotlieve Newry, Mourne and Down 
			 Mountsandel Coleraine Causeway Coast and Glens 
			 Turf Lodge Black Mountain Belfast 
			 Killycomain Portadown Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon 
			 Cathedral Armagh Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon 
			 Killymeal Dungannon Mid Ulster 
			 Carn Hill Ballyarnett Derry and Strabane 
			 Keady Armagh Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon 
			 Chichester Park Castle Belfast 
			 Poleglass Collin Belfast 
			 Andersonstown Black Mountain Belfast 
			 Coalisland South Torrent Mid Ulster 
			 Strule Omagh Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 O’Neill Macedon Antrim and Newtownabbey 
			 Shaw’s Road Black Mountain Belfast 
			 Madam’s Bank Foyleside Derry and Strabane 
			 Whitehouse Macedon Antrim and Newtownabbey 
			 Steeple Antrim Antrim and Newtownabbey 
			 Falls Park Black Mountain Belfast 
			 Creggan The Moor Derry and Strabane 
			 Stiles Antrim Antrim and Newtownabbey 
			 Valley Macedon Antrim and Newtownabbey 
			 Atlantic Causeway Causeway Coast and Glens 
			 Old Warren Lisburn South Lisburn and Castlereagh 
			 Ballycolman Sperrin Derry and Strabane 
			 Drumalane Newry Newry, Mourne and Down 
			 Cookstown East Cookstown Mid Ulster 
			 Damolly Newry Newry, Mourne and Down 
			 Cliftonville Oldpark Belfast 
			 Brandywell The Moor Derry and Strabane 
			 Twinbrook Collin Belfast 
			 Stewartstown Collin Belfast 
			 Ravenhill Lisnasharragh Belfast 
			 Moygashel Dungannon Mid Ulster 
			 Bellevue Castle Belfast 
			 Galliagh Ballyarnett Derry and Strabane 
			 Sydenham Titanic Belfast 
			 Collin Glen Black Mountain Belfast 
			 Ebrington Waterside Derry and Strabane 
			 Portora Enniskillen Fermanagh and Omagh 
			 Kilcooley Bangor West North Down and Ards 
			 Musgrave Balmoral Belfast 
			 Ballymagroarty Foyleside Derry and Strabane 
			 Malone Balmoral Belfast 
			 Loughview Holywood and Clandeboye North Down and Ards 
			 Curran and Inver Larne Lough Mid and East Antrim 
			 Shantallow Ballyarnett Derry and Strabane 
			 Cregagh Lisnasharragh Belfast 
			 Belvoir Balmoral Belfast 
			 Ballee and Harryville Braid Mid and East Antrim 
			 Fortwilliam Castle Belfast 
		
	
	
		
			 Creggan South The Moor Derry and Strabane 
			 Forth River Court Belfast 
			 Donard The Mournes Newry, Mourne and Down 
			 Coolessan Limavady Causeway Coast and Glens 
			 Strabane North Sperrin Derry and Strabane 
			 Strabane West Sperrin Derry and Strabane 
			 Quarry Coleraine Causeway Coast and Glens 
			 Knock Ormiston Belfast 
			 Portstewart Causeway Causeway Coast and Glens 
			 Glengormley Glengormley Urban Antrim and Newtownabbey 
			 Ballycastle The Glens Causeway Coast and Glens 
			 Innisfayle Castle Belfast 
			 Moy Dungannon Mid Ulster

Members: Correspondence

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  if she will estimate the total number of ministerial replies from her Department to hon. Members in a parliamentary session; and what proportion of such replies are sent (a) by letter and (b) by email;
	(2)  what plans her Department has to increase the number of replies sent electronically to letters from hon. Members.

Theresa Villiers: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), on 7 July 2014, Official Report, columns 5W & 6W.

Security

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether her Department issues advice to officials on personal security; and when this advice was last updated.

Theresa Villiers: My Department issues advice periodically to officials on personal security. The most recent advice was issued in November 2013.

WALES

Members: Correspondence

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  if he will estimate the total number of ministerial replies from his Department to hon. Members in a parliamentary session; and what proportion of such replies are sent (a) by letter and (b) by email;
	(2)  what plans his Department has to increase the number of replies sent electronically to letters from hon. Members.

Stephen Crabb: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), on 7 July 2014, Official Report, columns 5-6W.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Attendance Allowance

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how long on average claims for attendance allowance for older people took from application to reach a decision in each of the last five years.

Michael Penning: The data that is available is the actual average clearance time (AACT) which is the average time taken between an application being made and the date the customer was notified of the decision on their claim.
	The most recent AACT data is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Attendance allowance (AACT) 
			 National year-end Days 
			 2009-10 14.3 
			 2010-11 13.1 
			 2011-12 14.7 
			 2012-13 14.5 
			 2013-14 16.3

Attendance Allowance

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the current target turnaround time is from application to decision for attendance allowance for older people.

Michael Penning: The DWP does not currently have a “target turnaround time from application to decision for attendance allowance”.

Attendance Allowance

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average time between claim and a decision on attendance allowance was in each of the last five years.

Michael Penning: The data available in relation to this query is the actual average clearance time (AACT) which is the average time taken between an application being made and the date the customer was notified of the decision on their claim.
	The actual average clearance time (in working days) for attendance allowance cases over the previous five years, including the year to date average up to May 2014 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Attendance allowance (AACT) 
			  Working days 
			 2009-10 14.3 
			 2010-11 13.1 
			 2011-12 14.7 
			 2012-13 14.5 
			 2013-14 16.3

Carer's Allowance

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average time between claim and a decision on carer's allowance was in each of the last five years.

Michael Penning: The data available in relation to this query is the actual average clearance time (AACT) which is the average time taken between an application being made and the date the customer was notified of the decision on their claim.
	The actual average clearance time (in working days) for carers allowance cases over the previous five years, including the year to date average up to May 2014 can be found in the enclosed table. This submission does not include data for the 2012-13 reporting year
	
		
			  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 
			 Carers allowance AACT 12.79 11.3 10.9 n/a 11.5

Children: Maintenance

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in respect of Child Support Agency child maintenance owed to parents with care, how many arrears-only cases there are (a) where money is flowing and (b) where no money is flowing.

Steve Webb: At March 2014 there were 532,500 Child Support Agency cases which had arrears with no ongoing liability. Of those, there were 37,000 cases where money was flowing and 495,500 cases where no money was flowing.
	Note:
	This includes cases administered on the 1993 and 2003 Schemes only.

Employment and Support Allowance

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress he has made in helping people with disabilities to access work through the employment and support allowance programme; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: Jobcentre Work Coaches offer employment and support allowance claimants tailored support from day one of their claim, which includes work experience, skills provision, job search support and access to a range of opportunities available through the Flexible Support Fund.
	ESA claimants also have the option of accessing the Work Programme at any point after their Work Capability Assessment for help in getting tailored support provided by contracted providers.
	Key findings from the Jobcentre Plus Offer evaluation show that the implementation and delivery of the JCP Offer has been successful. The findings are being used to ensure that we continue to improve our services for all claimants.
	Furthermore the DHES set out a vision for a more personalised offer with better integration of services at local level and making better use of high quality small-scale specialist provision. The Department is currently exploring the feasibility of trialling this approach. This includes looking at the role of specialist advisors.

Funeral Payments

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if his Department will review the rate for Social Fund funeral expenses payments.

Steve Webb: There are no current plans to review the rate of funeral payments. However, for those who are eligible to be considered for a budgeting loan payment, the scope of this scheme has now been expanded to include funeral costs.

Housing Benefit: Staffordshire

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent on housing benefit in (a) Cannock Chase and (b) Staffordshire in each of the last five years.

Steve Webb: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	Further benefit expenditure can be found at the following URL:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/benefit-expenditure-tables
	
		
			 Housing benefit expenditure, £ million, nominal 
			  2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Cannock Chase 19.1 23.4 25.5 27.0 28.0 
			 Staffordshire 132.5 159.5 171.5 181.8 192.1 
			 Source: Local authority subsidy returns.

Members: Correspondence

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will estimate the total number of ministerial replies from his Department to hon. Members in a parliamentary session; and what proportion of such replies are sent (a) by letter and (b) by email;
	(2)  what plans his Department has to increase the number of replies sent electronically to letters from hon. Members.

Steve Webb: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), on 7 July 2014, Official Report, column 5-6W.

Personal Independence Payment

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department has taken to deal with backlogs in personal independence payments.

Michael Penning: We are continuously looking at ways to increase the number of decisions made and to improve the claims process.
	We are working closely with both assessment providers as part of our plans to speed up the end to end claimant journey. We have introduced improvements in communications to claimants about the type of evidence they can supply to speed up their claim and we are taking action to support the assessment providers in clearing backlogs of work.

Personal Independence Payment

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects personal independence payment backlogs to be cleared.

Michael Penning: By the autumn, we expect no one to be waiting for an assessment for longer than 26 weeks and by the end of the year, we expect no one will be waiting longer than 16 weeks.

Personal Independence Payment

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will recruit additional staff to help clear personal independence payment backlogs.

Michael Penning: DWP Operations has a large number of employees at the decision maker grade (EO) and we are constantly reviewing our plans to ensure that we have the right number of people to deliver all of our services.

Personal Independence Payment

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what comparative assessment he has made of the methods used to assess personal independence payment claims with the methods used to assess disability living allowance claims.

Michael Penning: Personal independence payment (PIP) includes a more objective assessment process than for disability living allowance (DLA), with a face-to-face consultation for most applicants, that enables a more accurate and consistent assessment of individual need. Unlike DLA, eligibility for PIP is not assessed on the type of health condition or impairment an individual may have.

Personal Independence Payment

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his contribution of 30 June 2014, Official Report, column 642, on DWP: performance, what level of service his Department expects to provide to meet his aim of providing a personal independence payment system that works for those most in need; and how he will measure success.

Michael Penning: By the autumn, we expect no one to be waiting for an assessment for longer than 26 weeks and by the end of the year, we expect no one will be waiting longer than 16 weeks.
	We have committed to two independent reviews of the PIP assessment, the first of which will report to Parliament by the end of this year, and we will carefully consider any recommendations made. The terms of reference for the review are available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/simplifying-the-welfare-system-and-making-sure-work-pays/supporting-pages/introducing-personal-independence-payment

Personal Independence Payment

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his contribution of 30 June 2014, Official Report, column 647, on DWP: performance, how his Department will demonstrate that no claimant is waiting more than 16 weeks for their personal independence payment by the end of 2014.

Michael Penning: Statistics on clearance times are intended for future publication and the Department's analysts are currently considering what information will be included in the release.

Personal Independence Payment

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the letter of 6 March 2014 from the Minister for Disabled People to Macmillan Cancer Support, for what reason his Department does not consider data on clearance times of personal independence payment normal and special rules claims to be robust enough to be included in the published quarterly statistics.

Michael Penning: Releasing information on clearance times at this stage would give an incorrect representation of the process since the system has not yet reached maturity.
	Professional statisticians determine when a series meets the criteria for publication as official statistics. That stage has not yet in their judgement been reached for this information.

Personal Independence Payment

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the contracts for personal independence payment assessment providers include performance related incentives or penalties; whether such measures have been used; and what the financial value of those measure is.

Michael Penning: DWP's personal independence payment (PIP) contracts are output based contracts which include a range of remedies for underperformance against a range of performance measures, including financial penalties in the form of service credits which the Department can apply as appropriate. Service credits have been applied to the contracts. Current details of the value of any service credits applied under the contracts are commercially confidential.

Social Security Benefits

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the times taken to decide claims, measured by actual average clearance time, were for (a) jobseeker's allowance and (b) employment and support allowance, for the longest and shortest deciles of claims, processed in each financial year since 2008-09.

Esther McVey: We are unable to provide data for the longest and shortest deciles of claims as this data is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his Department has recorded as the main disabling condition of people under employment and support allowance and jobseekers' allowance benefit sanctions.

Esther McVey: The information requested for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The information requested is not collected for jobseeker's allowance (JSA) claimants.

Social Security Benefits: Disability

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average time between claim and a decision on attendance disabled living allowance for parents of children aged under 16 years was in each of the last five years.

Michael Penning: We are unable to provide data on decisions for disability living allowance for parents as decisions are made for the child under 16 and awarded to their parent, guardian or representative.

Universal Credit

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of extending entitlement to a jobcentre plus discount travel card to all claimants of universal credit once universal credit has been fully rolled out.

Esther McVey: The Jobcentre Plus travel discount card is a discretionary travel discount scheme operated in conjunction with the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC).
	There is no evidence to suggest that ATOC have plans to change their approach of targeting support at specific benefit recipients based on specific eligibility criteria.
	However, if ATOC were to allow access to all universal credit claimants the cost to DWP would be in the region of £100,000, but the impact on ATOC members would be around £20 million (roughly estimated)
	Currently the following UC claimants are entitled to the JCP travel discount card:
	Universal credit claimants in the all work related requirements group from 13 weeks to point of work programme referral.
	Universal credit claimants not in the all work related requirements group who are actively engaged with a work services coach in returning to employment.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Bilateral Aid

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much bilateral aid in each country with a UK bilateral aid programme was spent (a) in cash terms, (b) at current prices, (c) as a proportion of that country's total bilateral aid programme in 2009-10 and each year since on procuring (i) goods and (ii) services from private sector suppliers based in the country concerned.

Justine Greening: To provide an itemised list of goods and services as a proportion of total bilateral aid spend in each country for each financial year from 2009 forward detailing spends would incur disproportionate costs to my Department.

Bilateral Aid

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was spent in bilateral aid in each country with a UK bilateral aid programme (a) in cash and (b) at current prices in 2009-10 and each year since.

Justine Greening: The Department for International Development annually publishes details of its bilateral spend to countries in its Statistics on International Development (SID). The most recent publication can be found by following the link.
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statistics-on-international-development-2013-tables
	Bilateral aid, or official development assistance (ODA), is a cash transaction. Current price figures are the same as the cash figure in the year they were reported.

Burma

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of reports of a food crisis in Chin State, Burma; and what food support her Department is providing in that region.

Alan Duncan: DFID has contributed to a food security programme in Chin State through the Livelihoods and Food Security Trust Fund which is helping increase agricultural production through activities such as better quality seeds, and also helping farmers get their produce to markets.

Burma

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what role private health insurance plays in her Department's plans to promote healthcare in Burma.

Alan Duncan: DFID does not have any programmes which work on private health insurance in Burma. DFID’s key support is through the Three Millennium Development Goal fund, which works to strengthen public health care systems as well as to contract some private services where they can fill gaps in public provision.

Burma

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether it is her policy to continue funding the official census in Burma.

Alan Duncan: Of the £10 million committed to the census, £9 million has already been disbursed. The remaining £1 million is for data analysis, thematic reports and the dissemination of information.

Burma

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the (a) gender, (b) ethnicity and (c) religion are of the 160,000 children proposed to be helped by the Myanmar Education Consortium.

Alan Duncan: Both boys and girls are being helped by the Myanmar Education Consortium (MEC). The MEC is working across Burma and expects to reach all the major ethnic groups of Burma and the three major religions: Buddhist, Christian, and Muslim.

Burma

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what checks and monitoring her Department has put in place to ensure that its funding for education in Burma is not being channelled through Buddhist monasteries where hate speech and anti-Muslim or anti-Christian sentiment are promoted.

Alan Duncan: Monastic schools are supported by the Monastic Education Development Group (MEDG), an implementing partner of the DFID-funded Myanmar Education Consortium. The MEDG has checks in place to safeguard against involvement in political issues. Where infringements are identified and remedial action is not taken, no further support is awarded from MEDG.

Development Aid

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much (a) in cash terms, (b) at current prices, (c) as a proportion of UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) and (d) as a proportion of UK Gross National Income was spent by the UK on ODA in 2009-10 and each year since (i) in total, (ii) on multilateral aid, (iii) on bilateral aid (A) in total, (B) in high and middle income countries, (C) in low income countries and (D) in least developed countries (1) on humanitarian relief and (2) for other purposes.

Justine Greening: The information requested is published in our annual reports, the most recent of which is available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/annual-reports-and-accounts-2012-13
	We do not disaggregate humanitarian assistance in the form requested, but disaggregation by country over the time period is available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/210430/Total-UK-Net-ODA-Humanitarian-Assistance-recipient-country1.csv/preview

Development Aid

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much Official Development Assistance (ODA) was spent (a) in cash terms, (b) at current prices, as proportion of total UK ODA in 2009-10 and each year since then on procuring (i) goods and (ii) services from private sector suppliers with their head office based in (A) developed and (B) developing countries.

Justine Greening: To provide an itemised list of goods and services from private sector suppliers for each financial year from 2009 forward detailing spends between developed and developing countries would incur disproportionate costs to my Department.

Development Aid

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much official development assistance was spent in 2009-10 and each year since then (a) in cash terms, (b) at current prices and (c) as a proportion of UK gross national income (i) in total, (ii) by her Department, (iii) by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, (iv) by the Ministry of Defence, (v) by the Department for Energy and Climate Change and (vi) by other Government departments.

Justine Greening: The information requested is published on our website at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/254053/Table6.csv/preview

Iraq

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  if she will take steps to promote collaboration between UK companies and the government of Iraq on development of solar technology to power desalination plants to provide clean drinking water to areas of shortage in that country;
	(2)  if she will take steps to promote the development of concentrated solar power in Iraq;

Justine Greening: While DFID does not currently fund any work on the development of solar technology in Iraq, in response to the recent crisis we have committed a package of emergency humanitarian assistance totalling £5 million, which will reach over 140,000 displaced people, or 28% of those affected, with life-saving assistance.

Members: Correspondence

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  if she will estimate the total number of ministerial replies from her Department to hon. Members in a parliamentary session; and what proportion of such replies are sent (a) by letter and (b) by email;
	(2)  what plans her Department has to increase the number of replies sent electronically to letters from hon. Members.

Alan Duncan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided yesterday by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), Official Report, column 5W.

Middle East

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with the Israeli government on its plans to liaise with the new Palestinian government to bring about improvements in the humanitarian situation in the border areas; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: British officials from the Embassy in Tel Aviv have regular discussions with the Israeli authorities.

Nigeria

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much UK aid has been provided to Nigeria to stem the escalation of Islamic extremist terrorism in the last five years, (a) in the North and Middle Belt and (b) elsewhere in that country; to whom such aid was provided; and in what form in each such case.

Justine Greening: UK aid to Nigeria is delivered through civil society organisations, technical assistance and UN agencies. DFID does not finance the Government of Nigeria directly. As most UKAID programmes are national in scope, it is not possible to provide regional breakdowns, however since 2011 at least 60% of our funds are focused on Northern Nigeria. The figures for UK Aid to Nigeria for the last 5 years are:
	
		
			  £ million 
			 2009-10 117.4 
			 2010-11 131.1 
			 2011-12 171.6 
			 2012-13 196.5 
			 2013-14 265.9 
		
	
	In 2011, DFID launched a £39 million Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme, which supports Federal and State Governments and civil society organisations to tackle the causes of violent conflict and to improve co-ordination within and between state agencies and local populations. The programme operates a grants fund for civil society organisations in priority states in the North, Middle Belt and the Delta.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much (a) in cash terms, (b) at current prices, (c) as a proportion of UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) and (d) as a proportion of UK Gross National Income was spent in UK bilateral aid in sub-Saharan Africa in 1996-97 and each year since.

Justine Greening: The table shows total UK bilateral ODA spent in sub-Saharan Africa from 1996 to 2012. Also shown are the percentages relative to total UK ODA and UK Gross National Income. Bilateral aid, or ODA, is a cash transaction. Current price figures are the same as the cash figure in the year they were reported.
	
		
			  £ million Total % ODA % GNI 
			 1996 404 20 0.03 
			 1997 385 18 0.03 
			 1998 491 21 0.03 
			 1999 485 23 0.03 
			 2000 743 25 0.05 
			 2001 789 25 0.06 
			 2002 646 20 0.04 
			 2003 875 23 0.05 
			 2004 1,245 29 0.06 
			 2005 2,074 35 0.09 
			 2006 2,933 43 0.12 
			 2007 1,179 24 0.04 
			 2008 1,303 20 0.05 
			 2009 1,603 22 0.07 
			 2010 1,866 22 0.08 
			 2011 1,993 23 0.08 
			 2012 1,991 23 0.08